Akito and Estelle in Simba's Pride
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Akito, Estelle, and Vincent invite special guests with them to come visit Africa to Pride Rock to see what Kiara, Kopa, and Kion have been up to ever since Kion became part of the Lion Guard while Kiara and Kopa will become the next Lion King and Queen of the Pridelands. Along the way, they reunite with a cub named Kovu who is the adopted son of Zira and they meet many new friends.
1. Chapter 1

Akito and Estelle were drawing in the middle of the floor so they could be artists like Vincent too as something really came to their minds after they had met Simba and Nala with their cubs: Kion, Kiara, and Kopa. They were drawing Kiara with a darker shaded adult male lion.

"Whatcha guys drawin'?" Vincent smiled.

"It's Kiara as the new Lion Queen with Kopa as the new Lion King." Estelle showed her drawing.

"And what about Kion and the others?" Vincent asked.

"They're still in the Lion Guard of course, but I've been thinking about Kiara lately." Estelle said.

"Who's that lion with her?" Vincent asked.

"Kovu..." Estelle nervously replied since he was an Outland cub and the adopted son of Zira.

"And who's that lioness next to Kopa?" Vincent asked.

Estelle took a look and squinted her eyes. "I'm not sure, but I saw her in a dream."

"Let me see that." Akito took the paper to see who the lioness was with the eldest cub of Simba and Nala.

It seemed like a lioness they had not seen before.

"Who is that...?" Akito himself even wondered. "I feel like I should know her, but I'm not sure."

Felicity walked into the room, surprising her cousins and they then greeted her and wondered why she was here. "Maman and Papa would like to visit Africa to see how Simba is doing with his grown children."

"We'd like to go too." Akito said.

"Can we bring whoever we want?" Estelle asked eagerly.

"I'm sure that would be fine." Felicity smiled.

* * *

The kids then came into the other room to see their parents all sitting down together and talking about visiting Africa to see Simba and Nala again to check on the Pridelands.

"Mom, Dad, can we bring anyone we want to Africa for the visit?" Estelle smiled.

"Of course, dear." Mo smiled back.

"Anyone you would like that wouldn't be scared of lions." Atticus also smiled.

Estelle soon squealed before rushing off to the Clark family house.

"Who do you think she's going to call?" Forte asked.

"I will give you fifty guesses who she is considering..." Cherry nearly deadpanned.

"I'll give you three letters, L-E-E," Vincent smirked. "Anyways, I'll be back after I go and make a call to Jenny."

The adults chuckled as they kids rushed off before they would get set to visit Africa.

"I hope this Lee boy understands what Estelle wants from him..." Cherry said to the Fudo couple since she didn't know Lee as well as they did due to being Estelle's boyfriend and all.

"And hopefully Atticus won't be paranoid." Mo said.

"When do I get paranoid?" Atticus asked. "I'm sane!"

"Yeaaaaaah... No." Cherry said flatly.

"Watch this," Mo whispered to Cherry before clearing her throat. "Atticus, Lee is wanting to take Estelle out on a date and to be alone with her.

"WHAT?!" Atticus asked. " **WITH NO ADULT SUPERVISION?!** "

Cherry and Mo smirked to that. Atticus soon saw what they meant and decided to calm down.

"It's a fatherly thing..." Cherry said. "Charles gets the same way whenever Felicity wants to be alone with Chip."

"I just want to make sure Christopher doesn't try anything..." Forte replied about the kitchen boy in Belle and Adam's castle.

"Well, at least we know who the boys are also taking with them to the visit to Africa." Atticus smirked, referring to Akito and Vincent.

"Mm-hmm..." the others agreed.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile..._**

"He's just upstairs in his room, Estelle, would you like me to get him for you?" Karen smiled to the brown-haired girl.

"Yes, please." Estelle nodded.

"Just a moment, dear." Karen smiled.

Estelle smiled back as she then waited patiently.

"Lee, you have a visitor!" Karen called up to her eldest child.

"Is it who I think it is?" Lee asked while lifting a dumbbell weight.

"Why don't you come find out?" Karen smirked.

"Coming!" Lee called, then put down the weight to come downstairs.

* * *

Estelle hummed to herself as she rocked back and forth on her heels while holding her hand behind her back. Lee looked down stairs to see Estelle there and decided to come down the stairs looking like he was in the middle of lifting weights with just one hand. Estelle giggled to that.

"What can I do for you today, my lady?" Lee asked suavely.

"Well, I was just in the neighborhood..." Estelle said casually before giggling since they were neighbors and all. "I was wondering if you'd like to visit Africa."

"I'd love to and I guess I could put off my weight lifting for a while." Lee said while lifting up a dumbbell weight, showing his muscles.

Estelle blushed to that and shuffled her feet shyly in front of him. "Um, how would you feel about interacting with lions?"

"I would love to interact with lions, they are my favorite besides gorillas," Lee said. "I'd do anything to meet lions up close."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Estelle smiled.

Dot then came out from a corner and came over to them, wanting to know if Lee also now had the ability to talk to animals due to kissing Estelle.

"Hey, girl." Lee smiled to his girlfriend's dog. "What're you doing here?"

Estelle bent down and picked up her puppy. "'Scuse us a sec." she then walked off for a moment.

Lee looked curious, but allowed it.

"Can Lee talk to animals?" Dot asked her owner.

"Did I just hear your dog talk?" Lee asked.

"I guess that's a yes." Estelle smiled.

Lee cleaned the inside of his ear. "I must be hearing things, dogs can't talk..."

"Dot," Estelle set her puppy down on the floor. "Speak."

"Hi there!" Dot smiled to him and gently wagged her tail.

This caused for Lee to continue to stand, but let go of his dumbbell weight while looking surprised. Dot got out of the way before she could get hit by the dumbbell.

"How is this possible?" Lee asked.

"Well, right now I'm speaking to you through barks because I'm not using Puppy Power," Dot said. "You now have the ability to talk to animals; just don't tell anyone else that you do."

"It's very important you keep this to yourself." Estelle also warned.

"But how do you talk to animals?" Lee asked his girlfriend.

"Because my parents can talk to animals too." Estelle said.

"Oh..." Lee blushed to that, then knelt down and shook Dot's paw. "Well, it's cool to do it too."

Tony walked by and rolled his eyes as he heard barking while Lee and Estelle talked. "Honestly, they act like that animal can talk to 'em..."

"So when do we leave?" Lee asked after standing up.

"Day after tomorrow, Aunt Cherry and Uncle Forte wanna visit the neighborhood first." Estelle replied.

"Okay, then I guess I'll pack." Lee said.

"You want some help?" Estelle asked.

"No thanks, I think I got it," Lee chuckled. "You go tell your family I'll be right there."

Estelle hugged him. "I'll call you once we're set." she then picked up Dot and went back home.

Lee smiled and waved as he then went upstairs in his room.

* * *

Vincent was on his tablet and waited for Jenny to be online so he wouldn't have to leave an awkward voice message, he preferred to have her right with him. "Come on, come on..."

 ** _"Hey."_ ** Jenny smiled as she finally answered.

"Ah, Jenny," Vincent smiled. "There you are."

 ** _"Sorry, I had to practice,"_ ** Jenny replied. **_"What's up?"_**

"How would you like to come to Africa with me?" Vincent asked.

 ** _"Africa?"_ ** Jenny replied.

"It's okay if you say no, but I just think it'd be a lot more fun with you," Vincent leaned back on his bed, holding the tablet in his hands. "Mom and Dad say we can bring any guests we'd like."

 ** _"I'd love to come."_** Jenny smiled.

"Great," Vincent blushed to her smile. "I'm sure it'll be a great experience."

 ** _"Same here."_** Jenny smiled.

"You ever been to Africa?" Vincent asked.

 ** _"No, but my parents used to go all the time, it was one of the places they didn't take me because they didn't think it would be safe for me,"_** Jenny explained. **_"I'm sure it's fine now since I'm older."_**

"Yep." Vincent nodded.

 ** _"Looking forward to it."_** Jenny smiled.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile with Akito as he was on his laptop..._**

He was combing his hair with his bandanna off until he'd get an answer, but then stopped once he saw Emi smirking like she had watched him do that. "Uh, Emi, you're supposed to say hello when you sign in."

 ** _"I know."_** Emi smirked once she saw his brunette hair.

"You are so sneaky." Akito smirked.

 ** _"Yeah, yeah, so what's the big news? Or did you just miss me?"_ ** Emi smirked back.

"Both actually," Akito chuckled as he then tied his bandanna back onto his head. "Um, how'd you like to visit Africa?"

 ** _"I'd love to come!"_** Emi smiled. **_"Especially sense I don't have any princess duties to perform for days."_**

"Oh, that's great!" Akito was happy for that himself.

 ** _"Yeah, finally a vacation,"_ ** Emi giggled. **_"Oh, um, is your cousin from Paris coming?"_**

"Hmm... Eloise..." Akito wondered about his rambunctious cousin coming along for the ride.

* * *

In New York City, Darla and Urchin were visiting the famed hotel as guests, but Eloise seemed to cause slight mayhem like she used to when she was an unsupervised six-year-old. She was riding on a delivery cart in a dining room as Ditto was on her head and she laughed as she had a lot of fun.

* * *

"I think she's going to be preoccupied." Akito said.

 ** _"Will she ever grow up?"_** Emi hid a giggle.

"Oh, I dunno, she's a lot like Uncle Urchin, I hear he was a bit of a jokester growing up." Akito said.

 ** _"Well, at last it'll be great to finally see the animals in a different country."_ ** Emi smiled.

"Yeah, it's just wonderful when you see it up close for yourself," Akito agreed. "And I can't wait to show you the Lion Guard."

 ** _"I can't wait either and I can't wait to meet Kopa, he seems like a second brother to you."_ ** Emi said.

"Oh, you could say that." Akito smiled.

* * *

The plans for inviting the special guests seemed to be all set.

"I still wonder who this is...?" Estelle looked at the lioness in the picture with Kopa. "She's very pretty though, for a lioness."

"Maybe it's someone new we'll meet." Akito said.

"I guess so..." Estelle shrugged.

"Dinner!" Mo called out.

* * *

The Fudo siblings soon rushed to dinner. Mo smiled as she made the family favorite of steak, potatoes, and broccoli.

"Everything is ready." Atticus said.

"Did you kids call your special guests?" Mo asked.

"Yeah, they're gonna come with us, and this is the best part, Emi doesn't have any princess duties." Akito smiled in excitement for his girlfriend.

"That's amazing." Mo smiled.

"I know!" Akito gushed. "It's like a dream... We're going away together i na far away world and she doesn't have to do her princess stuff, and,... And... And..."

"And I'm gonna marry her someday and our children will be strong and beautiful~" Vincent teased.

"Vincent?!" Akito blushed.

Vincent smirked and drank down his glass of water before anything else could be said or done. Akito simply rolled his eyes before taking a drink as well.

"Well, I'm glad she won't be distracted from her work and you guys will have more time together." Mo smiled to her younger son.

"Yeah." Akito smiled.

"Lee's really excited," Estelle smiled. "I hope we can explore a lot of sights together, just the two of us."

Atticus choked on his water. "What?!"

"Atticus..." Mo warned.

"But they're too young to be left alone!" Atticus defended himself.

"Atticus..." Mo narrowed her eyes.

Atticus folded his arms and grumbled.

"Excuse your father, Estelle." Mo said apologetically to her daughter.

"He's just being a dad." Estelle smiled.

"Yes... He is..." Mo chuckled.

Atticus looked rather firm and serious as his wife and daughter were rather amused.

"Aw, come on, Dad, Ash and Emi's dad is cool with me..." Akito defended.

"Yes, that's because he's ready for his little girl to...Grow up." Atticus frowned.

"Daddy, I'll always be your little girl, but you have to let me do these things sometimes..." Estelle said.

"I know..." Atticus sighed.

Estelle then went back to her dinner with her older brothers. Atticus barely ate as he couldn't believe how fast his little girl was growing up.


	2. Chapter 2

Later on, Atticus said he wanted to be alone for a little while, so Mo decided to play a family game with the others to keep themselves occupied until he would come back in time for their trip. Drell then seemed to appear and snaked up behind Atticus with a smirk and wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders.

"Not the time, Drell." Atticus said.

"Oh, I know..." Drell let go then.

"What do you want?" Atticus asked.

"You're having Daddy's Little Girl Syndrome." Drell folded his arms.

"Is that obvious?" Atticus frowned.

"Ah, Atticus, it happens to all dads," Drell replied. "You can't help it, every good father comes down with it once her daughter becomes interested in boys."

"Then why didn't Emi's father do this when she was interested in Akito?" Atticus asked.

"Maybe he has more free will..." Drell shrugged. "Or he has a different way of showing it, I mean, Emi's known Akito for a long time after her father disappeared until they reunited as a family."

"True." Atticus nodded.

"It's only natural," Drell put his arm around Atticus. "Besides, this Lee Clark seems like a very nice boy."

"Yeah, I guess." Atticus said.

"Now, now, cheer up..." Drell put his hands on Atticus's shoulders.

"I just want to know if he will protect Estelle no matter what." Atticus said.

"I'm sure he will, Atticus," Drell tried to relax him. "Look, I've known your father since we were kids in Udrogoth, and I've watched you grow after you were kidnapped by Jackson deVil, Lee Clark is basically you, only not as interested in schoolwork until Estelle came into his life."

"Really?" Atticus smiled before he saw Drell's crystal behind him. "Did you also see anything else through your crystal ball that I can see behind you?"

"Maybe...?" Drell grinned shyly, but he then gave up and held out his crystal ball. "I never leave home without it."

"Okay, tell me what you saw in your crystal ball." Atticus said.

"Well, it's mostly about when you guys go to the Pridelands..." Drell said as he showed his crystal ball. "This is what happened after Simba took Kiara back home."

Atticus took a look and watched as the rogue lioness known as Zira was bringing her youngest back home into the deserted and deathly scarce Outlands.

* * *

"Kovu, Kovu, Kovu, Scar wasn't even his father..." a scrawny older lion muttered to himself. "He just took him in."

"Well, looks like someone's not happy about Kovu being the favorite one." Atticus smirked.

* * *

"Watch." Drell warned.

Atticus nodded and watched as the mangly older son came up to a young lioness cub who was chewing on a root.

* * *

"Oh, hey, Vitani, where's little termite Kovu?" the oldest cub asked before mocking. "'The Chosen One'?" he then cut his claw through the root which made the female cub fall back.

The cub then stood back up and glowered her dark sapphire eyes at him. "Nuka, where's Kovu?" she asked roughly. "Did you leave him out there on his own again?"

"Hey, it's every lion for himself out there," Nuka replied as he scratched himself like a flea-bitten dog. "That little termite's gotta learn to be on his own."

"Mother's gonna be mad; she told you to watch him!" Vitani snapped.

"Oh, who cares?" Nuka scoffed as he scratched himself. "I should've been the chosen one. I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest-Ooogh! These termites!" he then attacked himself with the infesting insects.

Vitani smirked in self-satisfaction at Nuka's condition.

"I could be a leader, if she'd just give me a chance!" Nuka groaned as he scooted along with his rear.

"Oh, yeah? Why don't you tell that to her?" Vitani smirked.

"Yeah? Don't think I won't!" Nuka challenged.

"Well," Vitani chuckled. "Here's your chance."

Nuka saw what she meant as he heard their mother coming back with the youngest son. "What? Oh... Oh, Mother, hi!" he smiled nervously as he came to her side. "Mother, I caught some nice field mice for your dinner, I left 'em by the, um... Okay..."

Zira then dropped Kovu next to Vitani while ignoring Nuka for now.

"Hey, Kovu, you wanna fight?" Vitani playfully challenged her younger brother.

"You were supposed to be watching him!" Zira glared at her older son.

Nuka recoiled in horror and fright from her.

"It's not his fault, I went off on my own!" Kovu spoke up.

Zira glared to him then and backed him up. "What were you doing?"

"N-Nothing..." Kovu trembled.

"Who has made us Outsiders?" Zira glared.

"Simba!" Kovu gasped.

"Who killed Scar?"

"Simba!"

"And what have I told you about them?"

"Sorry, Mother!" Kovu sounded nervous for his life. "Th-They didn't seem so bad, especially the girl... I thought we could be-"

"Friends?!" Zira glared.

Kovu nervously shivered. "The girl cub and her brothers didn't seem so bad..." he then said, referring to Simba's children.

"You'd thought you could get to the daughter and eldest son so then Simba would welcome you with open arms?! What an idea," Zira scoffed at first before finding that idea would actually work. "What an idea!"

Kovu looked overwhelmed and confused of his mother's response.

"You brilliant child, I'm so proud of you!" Zira praised as she held her youngest in a rather comforting notion. "You have the same conniving mind that made Scar so... Powerful."

"Yuck..." Nuka shuddered in disgust.

Zira glared and snarled at him which then made him nervously smile before looking to Vitani. "Are there any recruiting cubs who would be willing to watch over Kovu for his newest training?"

"No, Mother, but we did find a lost lioness cub." Vitani said.

"Bring her to me." Zira demanded.

"Yes, Mother..." Vitani nodded and went off.

"You can handle Simba's daughter while this new recruit handles his eldest son for I have failed to try to kill him if it weren't for those humans who took him from the Pridelands before I had the chance." Zira said.

"Humans?" Kovu asked, as if he had never heard the word before.

"They took him to an animal prison those creatures call a 'zoo', but he managed to escape and come back in time for Kiara and Kion to be born." Zira snarled.

"Here she is, Mother." Vitani said as she brought over a lioness cub that looked just like the daughter of the Jungle Emperor.

"And who do we have here?" Zira looked down to the lioness cub who looked much different from the Pridelands and the Outlands.

"My name is Ruki, I don't remember anything else other than my name." Ruki said.

"Ruki, eh?" Zira replied.

"Yes, ma'am," the abandoned lioness cub nodded. "I don't even know how I got here or where I came from. I only ask for possible food and shelter."

"Hmm... Well, food is very hard to find here and as for shelter, it would be the cave right over there." Zira informed her as she pointed over to where the cave was.

"Shall I show her around, Mother?" Vitani suggested.

"I'll be right in the cave with your brother." Zira replied, referring to Kovu.

"Yes, Mother." Vitani nodded.

"Ugh, the 'Chosen One'..." Nuka grumbled about Kovu's destiny.

Zira glowered at him as she then took Kovu into their den while Vitani was going to show Ruki around their wasteland. And where to her this place didn't exactly feel like the best place to stay but it was better than being alone."So, you don't know anything about where you came from?" Vitani asked.

"No, the only thing I remember is my own name..." Ruki frowned.

"Well, what about where you came from or your parents or siblings' names?" Vitani asked.

Ruki merely shrugged.

"Nothing?" Vitani asked. "Man... I sorta know how ya feel... Sometimes I feel like I don't belong here, like, I was meant to be somewhere else..."

"Guess that makes us friends, huh?" Ruki attempted to joke with a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess it does." Vitani laughed a little.

Ruki smiled to her. Vitani had a small smile back.

* * *

Kovu landed in the den with a grunt as his mother cast over him.

"I now see the path to our glorious return to power!" Zira grinned viciously.

"But I don't want-" Kovu started.

"Hush!" Zira hissed before sounding tender toward him. "Hush, my little one... You must be exhausted..." she soothed before starting to sing. "Sleep my little Kovu, let your dreams take wing, One day when you're big and strong, you will be a king~"

"Good night." Kovu smiled sleepily.

"Good night, my little prince," Zira said darkly. "Tomorrow, your training intensifies." She then began to walk further into the cave.


	3. Chapter 3

Atticus looked up to Drell.

"Man, this lioness is close with Scar, eh?" Drell chuckled.

"She was his mate." Atticus told him.

"So I see..." Drell replied. "And those are their cubs?"

"Well, mostly," Atticus said. "Nuka was in fact Scar's son and Vitani was the daughter of a friend of Simba and Nala's since they were cubs, and Kovu was adopted from someone else."

"And what about this Riku cub?" Drell asked. "Did you kids ever encounter the Jungle Emperor?"

"No." Atticus shook his head.

"Well, looks like we might encounter him and his family as they are going to make peace between the Jungle Emperor's territory and the Pridelands." Drell said.

"Do you know about the Jungle Emperor, Drell?" Atticus asked the warlock since he seemed to know anything that he didn't.

"Yes, I do." Drell nodded.

"Story time?" Atticus hoped.

"Atticus, you're a grown man..." Drell narrowed his eyes since he sounded like a little kid then.

Atticus frowned and slung his arms down.

"Of course I'll tell you the story!" Drell then smiled brightly.

"Wahoo!" Atticus smiled.

"Grow up, will ya?" Drell said.

"Hey, I've been to Never Land, I don't have to." Atticus smirked.

Drell then grinned as he started to tease him. "Your kids will be in college soon, then they'll get married, and you'll be a grandpa!"

"Seriously?" Atticus asked, unimpressed.

"It's true." Drell smirked in self-satisfaction.

"Just tell the story." Atticus said.

"Impatient, are we?" Drell said before sitting down and pulling him into the seat beside him.

* * *

Atticus's eyes widened and suddenly, they were going down a track like in a roller-coaster track. Skippy smiled and waved to them as they were going for a ride for Drell's story for Atticus.

"Do you know about white lions, Atticus?" Drell asked.

"I know that they are extremely rare." Atticus said.

"Little did you know that as you were with the Lion King Mufasa, there was a white lion known as the Jungle Emperor Leo." Drell said.

"How could I had missed that?" Atticus wondered. "We traveled all over the Savanna, even after Timon and Pumbaa found us."

"Yes, but you weren't in the African Jungle." Drell said.

"What do you mean?" Atticus asked.

Drell soon brought out a map of Africa and showed him where him his family and Mo and her family have been to and showed where they haven't been to.

"But... I don't understand..." Atticus asked as he then took the map. "How come we haven't met?"

"Mufasa, Sarabi, Panja, and Eliza don't get along." Drell replied firmly.

"How come? I mean they're all lions after all, well, besides the difference in fur color." Atticus said.

"That may be true, but it's about their family backgrounds," Drell said. "Mufasa's parents, the former Queen of the Pridelands known as Uru, was enemies with the white lions because they had killed her parents out of jealousy. Uru was orphaned, but she knew that she would have to rule the Pridelands next since she had no brothers and would become the first Lion Queen. Panja's grandparents had killed her parents because they were savages and believed that they were the dominate ones and were considered heartless by many."

"Wow, really?" Atticus asked.

"Yes." Drell nodded.

"So then I guess Leo is going to want to make peace with Simba and Nala and the Pridelanders." Atticus smiled.

"I never considered that, but that seems likely..." Drell smiled back gently, but then frowned. "However, Riku and Kovu's training grew intense over the years. When you guys visit Africa, be very careful, I have suspicion to believe that Kovu will be responsible for a future death."

"And as for Ruki?" Atticus asked.

"She'll remember her life before ending up in the Outlands." Drell said.

"You think so?" Atticus asked.

"I know so..." Drell said as they looked at the images of white lions in the jungles.

And where he saw a white lion with his mate and a white lion cub.

"And who are they?" Atticus asked.

"That would be King Leo and Queen Leah." Drell replied.

"They must be worried about their daughter." Atticus frowned.

"You have no idea..." Drell could sympathize.

"Well, I hope she remembers her family." Atticus said.

"She will eventually, especially when she discovers true love." Drell said.

"True love, eh?" Atticus hummed as he took out a drawing that Estelle made of Kiara with Kovu and Kopa with an unknown lioness cub. "By any chance, would it be Kopa?"

Drell looked stuck for a moment. "Kopa's the oldest, right?"

"Yeah." Atticus nodded.

"Then yes." Drell then nodded.

"I knew Ruki looked familiar; she looks just like the drawing Estelle did, only her drawing looked like an older version of her." Atticus said.

Drell took a look at the drawing. "Ooh, Daddy's Little Girl is an artist~"

"Watch it," Atticus narrowed her eyes. "She taught her boyfriend how to add sports into his schoolwork and he taught her how to use her dance moves for fighting."

"Good point." Drell said.

Atticus smiled at the drawing. "It sure is cute though... I remember when she'd play in the living room with Akito and they'd play dolls together and make up their own stories..." he chuckled lightly. "She looked so cute whenever she wanted to fight like when she was in the Loonatics."

"She sure was cute." Drell smiled.

Atticus laughed a little then. "She looked so cute in her Swan Lake dress that Darla mailed her to the hotel once..."

Drell smirked then.

Atticus looked back and had tears in his eyes. "I don't want her to grow up!"

"Oh, old man..." Drell held out his arms to hug him.

Atticus soon hugged him, too emotional to realize he was hugging too tight. Drell then rang a bell. Skippy walked in then. Drell then grabbed Skippy and put him in place with a smirk as he held his back now that Atticus was squeezing his tiny friend. After a while, Atticus calmed down to realize he was hugging too tight. Skippy whimpered in the hug.

"Skippy?" Atticus noticed.

Drell whistled innocently as he filed his nails while Skippy had been crushed by Atticus. Atticus soon used his magic to heal Skippy and then he went over to Drell to make him feel the pain that he made Skippy feel.

"Aaaugh, whhhhyyy?" Drell groaned as he was now in pain.

"When are you going to be nice to Skippy?" Atticus asked.

"Right before I die..." Drell smiled nervously.

This caused Atticus to smirk as he tightened his grip.

"Please stop..." Drell begged.

"Will you be nice to Skippy?" Atticus asked.

"I said I would!" Drell said.

"Sooner than that!" Atticus applied more pressure.

"Okay, right before _he_ dies!" Drell said.

"That's more like it." Atticus smirked before letting him go.

Drell groaned and held his back as he fell to his knees. Skippy came behind Drell and started to massage his back.

"Well, I better get back home," Atticus said. "We're gonna leave sooner than we know it."

"You know it. But first, Skippy, could you go and get me that can of spinach in the cabinet?" Drell groaned.

Skippy nodded and went to do just that.

"Drell... What're you doing?" Atticus asked in a warning tone.

"Oh, you'll see." Drell smirked.

"Drell..." Atticus warned again.

* * *

Skippy stirred up the spinach in the can and held it out with a spoon as though he were going to feed Drell like a baby.

"Skippy, feed it to me like how Popeye eats his!" Drell glared.

Skippy pouted.

"DO IT!" Drell barked.

Skippy soon poured all of the spinach down Drell's throat. Drell then chewed some of the spinach as it went down. Skippy looked slightly disgusted at the empty can and threw it away before squirming. Drell soon stood up as the spinach had healed him as well as increased his strength ten fold.

"Not a spinach fan I see." Atticus said to Skippy.

Skippy shook his head as he looked sick to his stomach.

"Oh, Atticus?" Drell smirked as he now had bigger muscles.

Atticus turned his head and his eyes widened slightly.

"Time for payback." Drell smirked.

"Listen Drell, I really need to go now, the kids are probably worried sick." Atticus said.

"Bawk, bawk, bawk!" Drell clucked like a chicken. "Mr. Big and Fancy Detective is afraid to challenge a big and strong warlock!"

"You aren't going to stop doing that until I accept your challenge, aren't you?" Atticus asked.

"Nope." Drell smirked.

Atticus sighed. "All right, let's get this over with, I miss enough time at home as it is."

" **GREAT!** " Drell tackled Atticus to the floor like a football player.

"Oof!" Atticus grunted as he began to put all of his strength into stop from being pushed back.

Drell laughed as he pinned down Atticus. Atticus glared and tackled Drell back. Drell and Atticus continued to go at it at each other.

"Give up, you're just gonna lose." Atticus said to Drell.

"Mm-hmm~" Drell ignored that as he fought the wiccan man. "Ah, your mother can't help you now!"

"Yeah, yeah, keep talking!" Atticus grunted as the two continued fighting.

"Atticus...?" Drell grinned as he thought of something naughty. "I slept with your mother... And your father!"

"Really?" Atticus asked, unimpressed.

"I'm serious." Drell said firmly.

"No you're not..." Atticus's eyes widened.

"Oh, yeah, and it was the best!" Drell grinned.

"You're lying!" Atticus cried out.

Atticus soon tackled Drell and where the tackle sent the strong warlock flying into and through the wall. Skippy winced and took a small breath, shaking his head at Drell's impact.

"L-Looks like the spinach isn't able to give me the strength of a wiccan with the strength of a god." Drell said with a strained voice.

Skippy held his stomach in still disgust and ran off to the nearest bathroom.

"Did you really think that spinach could beat me?" Atticus smirked.

"I mean it works with Popeye and Bluto..." Drell defended.

"Yes it does, but that's because they are sailors along with their sons." Atticus said.

"Yeah, yeah..." Drell stood up then.

Atticus then stood up and dusted himself clean. "Great match, Drell, now I really must get going before Mo bites my head off."

"Alright, but first, could you help me out of this wall?" Drell asked.

Atticus sighed, then grabbed Drell to help him out of the wall. Drell then fell on top of Atticus and held him down.

"Drell, I don't have time for this!" Atticus grunted.

"Sorry, sorry." Drell said before getting off him.

Atticus then dusted himself clean again. "Good _night_ , Drell."

"Good night, Atticus." Drell said.

Atticus rolled his eyes and came home.


	4. Chapter 4

It was rather late and Atticus came through the front door and tried to shut the door, but winced as it creaked while he shut it, and he then turned an let out a gasp once he saw Mo staring at him for coming home late at night.

"Uh, hi honey," Atticus smiled nervously. "I am so sorry I'm home late."

"Where have you been...?" Mo asked. "I called Ruthie..."

"I was with Drell and I found out who else we'll be meeting in Africa." Atticus said.

"Drell..." Mo let out a long-suffering groan.

"I know, I know..." Atticus tried to calm her down.

"What did you find out?" Mo asked.

"Well, turns out we have another visitor in the Pridelands who's with the Jungle Emperor." Atticus said.

"Jungle Emperor?" Mo asked. "What's that?"

"That's the title of a white lion named Leo." Atticus said.

"Leo?" Mo asked.

"Come on, I think I have a book on it, or at least maybe Drell sent me a copy to explain to you and the kids." Atticus went to their bookshelf in the living room.

"Well, okay." Mo said.

Atticus tutted to himself as he then found the book and took it out. "Ah, The Jungle Emperor."

"So, it's basically like Mufasa and Simba as The Lion King?" Mo asked.

"Yeah, except this one has humans." Atticus said.

"Is that right?" Mo sat on the couch beside him as they looked through the book.

"Yeah," Atticus nodded. "And where it tells all about Leo's life before he became the Jungle Emperor."

"This should be interesting," Mo said. "The only white lions I've heard about were Siegfried and Roy's pets in Las Vegas."

"Anyway, his daughter's true love is Kopa." Atticus said.

"Kopa?" Mo asked.

"You know, if we're gonna do this faster, you're gonna have to stop repeating everything I say and start paying attention." Atticus said mysteriously.

"I'll try." Mo said.

Atticus and Mo then looked into the book to see the Jungle Emperor's origins and they saw a young white lion cub. And where they saw what the white lion cub went through and how he learned to speak Human. He was the son of Eliza and Panja. At some point, before the cub was born, the father was killed by hunters as he attempted to save his mate, but had not survived, obviously. He had a rival named Claw who wanted the throne which made Atticus and Mo think of Scar against Mufasa, but was not as successful, dark, or villainous as Scar was and had a panther for a sidekick instead of a group of hyenas.

"That's rather disappointing." Mo said.

"Claw seems to be dumber than Scar." Atticus chuckled at the darker lion's descriptions.

"You got that right." Mo giggled.

"Huh, he does have a couple of hyena minions," Atticus then saw. "Tom and Tab."

"Anything else?" Mo then asked about the white lion cub.

"Well, of course, eventually Leo ended up with Leah who was the niece of a spotted lion by the name of Specklerex," Atticus read. "They had two cubs, a son and a daughter."

"What were their names?" Mo asked.

"Rune and Ruki." Atticus said.

"Is there anything else we need to know?" Mo asked.

"Well, Rune seems to be just like how his father was at his age." Atticus said.

"I guess Ruki's like her mother then too." Mo then said.

"So far that's what it looks like, I think that should about do it..." Atticus replied. "I just hope nothing bad happens, I hear that Mufasa's mother and Simba's grandparents were enemies."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Mo said.

"Let's only hope." Atticus said.

Mo then kissed him with a small smirk. "Let's get some sleep."

"Okay..." Atticus smiled weakly to her.

* * *

That night, the couple fell asleep as their children were already sound asleep.

"Jenny... Jenny... Jenny..." Vincent said in his sleep as he hugged his pillow.

"Oh, Lee, you are so strong and so handsome." Estelle giggled in her sleep.

Akito appeared to be dancing the waltz in his sleep. "Why, yes, Emi, my muscles are natural..."

"Seems like they're all dreaming of their soul mates." Scruffy said.

"Kids..." Dot sighed and playfully shook her head.

"Hello, Oliver~..." Snow White purred in her sleep as she wore a sleep mask inside of her own bed. "You're looking well..."

Scruffy stuck his tongue out in disgust. "Girls! Yuck!"

"You only say that because you're not in love." Dot said.

"Love is gross..." Scruffy shook his head.

"Oh, Scruffy, once you experience true love, it's a very wonderful thing..." Dot said. "Look at our grandparents... Our aunts and uncles... Even Cousin Oddball found love once."

"We'll have to see." Scruffy shrugged.

Dot patted her brother on the head. "Silly Puppy."

Scruffy stuck his tongue out. He then soon went off to sleep. Dot smiled to her brother and joined him to get some sleep herself. The next day, they would get ready for their trip.

* * *

Mo held a whistle in her fingertips and blew into it which made the kids groan and scream. "All right, maggots, up, up, up!"

The kids came out of their rooms and groaned as they trudged down the stairs as they were up early and the sun wasn't even up yet.

"Mom, what the heck?!" Vincent groaned.

"Come on, we got time to burn, let's get moving!" Mo called like a drill sergeant.

"Mom, why are you acting like a drill sergeant?" Estelle asked.

"Move!" Mo called.

"Sorry about that, kids, your mom's in a mood," Atticus smiled nervously and apologetically. "I guess she's just pumped because I promised her we could watch the Wonderbolts the next time we visit your aunts in Equestria."

"That makes sense." Akito said.

Mo blew her whistle again. "Drop and give me 20!"

"Who do you think you are, Aunt Rainbow Dash?" Estelle groaned.

The kids soon started to do push-ups.

"Mo, don't you think you're overdoing it a little?" Atticus asked. "I mean, we just have to get ready for Africa today..."

"Seize the day!" Mo chanted. "Carpe Diem!"

"Mo, calm down; it's just Africa, not the war." Angel said.

" **VENGEANCE!** " Mo called.

"I'm getting too old for this..." Angel grumbled and then pounced up and leapt onto Mo's stomach and licked her face.

"Hey, quit it!" Mo called and laughed.

"I knew that would knock some sense back into you." Angel smiled.

"What was happening?" Mo asked.

"You were acting crazy, Mom..." Estelle chuckled.

"Yeah, what the heck was that all about?" Akito then asked.

"I guess I got a little too excited when your father asked me if I'd like to come see the Wonderbolts for the next Equestria Games when you kids are off school." Mo smiled nervously.

"Cool." The kids smiled.

"Okay, since we're up, how about you kids get set up and we'll have a quick breakfast?" Atticus suggested.

"Okay." The kids said before going off to get themselves set up.

Atticus, Mo, and Angel smiled.

* * *

"Ah, a trip to Africa with Lee..." Estelle smiled. "I just wish we met sooner because then we could have all those Pokemon adventures together... Akito and Ash as the Chosen Ones... The Unknowns and Entei... The Celebi... The Jiarchi..."

"Don't forget the other legendary Pokemon." Dot said.

"Right." Estelle nodded to her. "Hmm... I bet if Lee had any Pokemon, he'd have a Geodude or something big and strong like that... Hopefully we can see Emi, Ash, Serena, and the others again and maybe we can have him come for that adventure too!"

"Yeah." Dot smiled.

Estelle hugged her puppy and Dot nuzzled her back.

* * *

Vincent was picking up his stuff and even picked up Snow White while she was sleeping and put her in her carrier for now so he could pack up some stuff so she wouldn't play with anything that would accidentally run loose. "And can't forget to bring my Pokemon." he then said.

Snow White kept snoring as Vincent tidied up his room with his stuff to take with him on the trip.

* * *

Akito was getting ready as well. Scruffy smiled as he watched Akito in action. Akito soon put Scruffy in his carry on and then got out his Pokemon balls to bring with.

"You comfy in there, Scruff?" Akito asked.

"Yeah, it's a lot more cozy than it looks!" Scruffy smiled. "And it's clean! Unlike your locker."

Akito rolled his eyes. "Thanks, buddy."

* * *

After a while, they were ready and were now having breakfast.

"Are you better now, Mom?" Akito asked.

"I think so..." Mo smiled. "I don't know what came over me."

"Your excitement." Angel said.

Mo then gently pet Angel while eating breakfast with her family.

* * *

After a short breakfast, they were now ready to get going as were their guests. As Lee had come, to everyone's surprise, Emi and Jenny seemed to teleport over.

"I'm getting better at teleporting." Emi smiled.

"Yeah, I'm quite impressed." Jenny agreed.

"Emi!/Jenny!" Akito and Vincent ran to their girls and hugged them instantly.

"Akito!/Vincent!" Emi and Jenny smiled back as they hugged them back.

Lee and Estelle smiled to that.

"You girls ready to go?" Vincent asked.

"Sure, mind helping us with our bags?" Jenny gestured behind herself and Emi to show several bags of luggage which looked like a lot of stuff for just one short visit to Africa.

"Heh... Sure..." Vincent chuckled weakly. "Uh, Akito...?"

"No problem." Akito said before lifting up all of the girls' luggage.

Emi smiled in high admiration as Akito helped her out with her bags.

* * *

"We're not gonna be gone that long, did you pack Georgette's stuff too?" Vincent teased his girlfriend.

"Yep." Jenny nodded.

"Wait what?" Vincent then asked.

Jenny then turned her head with a smile. "Come on, girls!" Georgette came over and she had a rather small sized pink poodle with her who looked very hyper and energetic.

"Who's the poodle puppy?" Vincent asked.

"Vincent, surely you remember our little one, Kiki." Georgette said.

"Oh, yeah..." Vincent knelt down. "Hi, Kiki!"

"Hey!" Kiki smiled up to him. "I feel like I haven't seen you since we met Aunt Cleo on Birdwell Island with her friend, that big red dog, Clifford!"

"It sure has been a long time since then." Vincent said.

"Uh-huh! Uh-huh!" Kiki giggled and ran around.

"I see she's still hyper, huh?" Vincent chuckled.

"Yeah," Georgette giggled. "She clearly takes after her father."

"Who is her father again?" Dot asked.

"You remember, dear," Georgette smiled. "Ignacio Alonzo Julio Frederico de Tito."

"Oh, yeah," Dot giggled. "Uncle Tito, it's been too long."

"I hear word on the street, Dodger and Rita have been coming closer together than ever..." Georgette hid a gossipy smirk.

"Same here." Scruffy added.

Kiki giggled and came up to Scruffy. "hey, Scruffy, did ya miss me? Huh? Huh? Huh?!"

"I'm getting Rebound flashbacks." Patch chuckled as he walked by.

"She certainly is a lot like her." Colette giggled in agreement.

"Oh, boy, does she have to come?" Scruffy complained.

"Be nice, Scruffy." Colette warned.

"Fine..." Scruffy groaned. "Welcome aboard, Kiki."

" **AWESOME!** " Kiki cheered and zipped off.

"Oh, brother..." Scruffy groaned quietly.

Dot giggled to her brother.

"Stop!" Scruffy whined.

* * *

"Anyway, Georgette, I'm surprised to see you willingly travel to Africa," Vincent smirked. "Aren't ya worried of breaking a nail?"

"I'm no longer like that." Georgette said.

"It's true, she's really matured ever since Oliver's grown himself." Jenny smiled.

"And where is the handsome kitten himself?" Snow White smiled back as she popped up from behind Vincent's shoulder.

"Did I hear a beautiful voice ask for me?" Oliver smiled, appearing from behind Jenny.

"Oliver... You've come~..." Snow White purred.

"Okay, Snow, come down, you're like a massage chair." Vincent laughed as he picked up the white kitten off his shoulder.

"Oliver insisted." Jenny smiled.

Snow White hopped down to her feet and came up to the orange teenage kitten and nuzzled noses with him while Scruffy rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"What's with him?" Oliver asked.

"Scruffy's allergic to romance..." Snow White rolled her eyes. "He's always been such a philistine."

"Maybe he'll find his true love in Africa." Kiki said.

"Hmm..." the others hummed about that.

After that, they were all now on the road and getting ready to go down to Africa.


	5. Chapter 5

"Hey, kids, we should visit your cousin Melody sometime," Atticus spoke up to his children once he remembered something that would interest them. "I hear she has her very own Vaporeon."

"That's awesome!" The kids smiled.

Atticus chuckled as he knew that would work.

"How do you know, Dad?" Estelle asked curiously.

"While you kids went to your rooms to get your stuff, I was just given word," Atticus smiled, they then came to a stoplight and he handed them a photograph of their half-mermaid cousin with her very own Pokemon.

"Where did she catch it?" Akito asked.

"You'd have to ask her, all I know was that she has her own water Pokemon," Atticus smiled. "I'll plan a visit sometime so we can see Ariel and Eric after this trip."

"Yay!" The kids cheered.

"That Vaporeon must have went too far out from the Pokemon Regions." Emi said.

"Sounds likely..." Jenny agreed, she had been studying Pokemon biology herself out of her studies for school.

"I wanna meet some Pokemon..." Lee pouted.

The others glanced to him.

"I mean, on my own, like to catch one as my very own..." Lee explained what he meant by that since he had actually met Pokemon himself thanks to the Fudo siblings.

"Well, who knows? Maybe the Pokemon world is expanding everywhere and we might see a Pokemon or two in Africa." Estelle said.

"I still can't believe you guys have never met any Pokemon..." Vincent said to his parents.

"Not that we know of anyway..." Atticus shrugged as he drove. "Neither has your Aunt Cherry, and one of her friends lives in... Erm... The Fiery Underworld."

"Oh, my..." Emi frowned.

"Long story, Emi, dear." Mo said.

"Speaking of Cherry, where is she, Felicity, and Maestro Forte?" Emi then asked.

"They'll meet us there, Cherry always likes to make an entrance." Atticus replied.

"Hopefully not a terrifying one." Jenny said.

"Hard to say with Aunt Cherry..." Akito's eyes darted back and forth.

"Just don't ask her if she wants to build a snowman." Mo joked quietly.

They soon arrived at the airport.

"Okay, line up!" Atticus called. "Time for a plane ride!"

"When is your aunt's entrance going to start?" Lee asked.

"I don't see her..." Estelle said. "That worries me."

And where as if on cue; Cherry made an entrance with Forte, Felicity, and Simon.

"Sorry we're late." Cherry said right behind the group which startled Lee, Jenny, and Emi since they weren't used to it.

"Well, we have bad news and good news," Forte said. "The bad news is the flight to Africa won't be ready for three hours."

"What's the good news?" Mo asked.

"Even though for some reason Cherry doesn't like them; the Wild Kratts are going to be coming here and they're going to fly us to Africa." Forte said.

Cherry stuck her tongue out.

"The Kratt Brothers?!" Akito asked. "Chris and Martin?!"

"The very same..." Cherry replied. "I miss their friend Zoboomafu."

"So did he, that's why he's coming along with them, Maman." Felicity smiled.

"Zoboomafu's still alive?" Atticus asked in shock. "I thought he died when we were in high school."

"Yeah, I remember hearing about that..." Cherry agreed.

"Surprise!" Felicity cheered before giggling.

"Okay, either A: He's been alive this whole time or B: They named a lemur after him." Mo said.

"With a little magic, he was able to stay alive." Forte said.

"What did you do...?" Cherry narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, Cerise, don't you remember when you were a child and how much fun you had visiting the zoo?" Forte asked as we were shown a vision of younger Cherry with younger Atticus before their adoption as the orphanage was visiting the local zoo. "You loved animals so much and you just wanted to be more around them than people."

"Yeah, 'cuz animals don't judge..." Cherry scoffed as we see younger Cherry having the time of her life visiting the zoo.

"Well, I decided to do a little magic on Zoboomafu to let him stay alive." Forte smiled.

* * *

 _We then see younger Cherry and Atticus go over to a lemur exhibit. Cherry looked around and saw one lemur which really spoke to her as he looked lost and alone, a lot like how she felt. The two seemed to look into each other's eyes and they held out their hands for each other and seemed to feel a connection. This made the young perky goth actually smile and the lemur seemed to smile back at her._

 _"Hey Cherry, who's your friend?" Atticus smiled._

 _Cherry looked to him, then looked to the info kiosk outside of the cage. "Zah... Boom... Ah... Foo..." she then sounded it out since she was a little kid after all. "Zoboomafu!"_

 _"Cool name." Atticus smiled._

 _"Mysterious." Cherry agreed._

 _The lemur seemed to spring out of his exhibit and wrapped his arms around Cherry._

 _"Oh, easy, little guy," Atticus warned. "Cherry doesn't really like being-"_

 _Cherry giggled as she hugged the lemur as he hugged her._

 _"Touched..." Atticus had a small smile to that._

 _Zoboomafu soon decided to have some fun and spring around the zoo and where soon Cherry and Atticus followed him doing the same thing. It was the most fun they've ever had._

* * *

The Fudo siblings and Forte siblings looked doubtful as they were told Cherry was very happy and was like a chipper happy-go-lucky child.

"Don't you remember the ball for Princess Sofia's coronation when Aunt Cherry started to act like Aunt Pinkie Pie?" Atticus whispered to his kids.

"Yeah?" The Fudo nodded.

"Well there you go." Atticus smiled.

"So, what can we do while we're waiting?" Lee asked as he felt rather bored of the delay.

"You won't have to wait long." Forte said while looking up.

The others looked up as there was an alternate way to take them to Africa. And where they saw the Tortuga what the Wild Kratts used to get around the world.

"Awesome!" Akito cheered once he recognized the vehicle.

The turtle-like vehicle soon landed with the pilot, making sure he didn't crush anyone or anyone's vehicles. Cherry had a very sour and deadpan look on her face.

"Oh, my gosh, Chris and Martin!" Akito rushed with his notebook with a pen. "Can I have your autographs?!"

A familiar lemur soon came out of the Tortuga with the Kratt Brothers while Akito was given their autographs; Zoboonafu sprang and hugged Cherry, missing her. Cherry's eyes widened from the sudden hug.

"Cherry, it's so great to see you and Atticus again!" Zoboonafu smiled.

"Hm..." Cherry had a small smirk to the lemur.

"I can see that you are now a married woman and that Atticus is a married man." Zoboonafu smiled.

"Yep." Cherry said.

Zoboomafu looked up and down to her though. "You look very good for your age."

"I get that a lot." Cherry replied.

After both of the Kratt Brothers gave Akito their autographs, all of them went into the Tortuga.

Akito beamed brightly. "I'm hanging... With the Kratt Brothers!" he then squealed like a fan girl and moved with the others to come aboard.

* * *

As soon as they came on board the Tortuga, they saw a young woman of average height; she has bushy dark brown hair that she always ties back in a ponytail, gray eyes (possibly with a greenish tinge), and tan skin. Who was wearing a purple shirt and a yellow jacket with a blue stripe running down both of the sleeves, blue jeans held by a black belt with a bolt on it, worn crookedly around her waist, and purple and white converse shoes. As well as an African-American with brown eyes, freckles and curly hair, in which is styled in an Afro. She wears a red and black shirt with a star in the middle and yellow shoes and a yellow headband.

And finally, a young man of average height; he had reddish-orange hair and light blue eyes. He wore a blue-green baseball cap worn backwards, a grey T-shirt with a video game character on it, a white, long sleeved shirt worn underneath, red plaid shorts, and white tennis shoes with a slight lean build. He had notable facial hair on his chin (known as a "goatee") and some freckles.

"This looks more spacious up close." Jenny smiled.

"Sure does." Estelle smiled back in agreement.

"Are those the rest of the Wild Kratts?" Emi asked.

"You bet," Martin confirmed. "This is Aviva Corcovado."

"Hola, como estes?" the black-haired ponytailed girl smiled.

"That's Koki." Chris then introduced the African-American.

"What's up?" Koki smiled as well.

"And that's Jimmy Z." Zoboomafu then introduced the final one.

"Hey there." Jimmy waved.

"Hi, Jimmy." the younger teenagers greeted.

"Call me 'JZ', it's cooler." Jimmy insisted.

"Oh, boy..." Cherry rolled her eyes.

"I don't know why you don't like them," Forte whispered. "They seem nice."

"I've never been the social one..." Cherry droned.

"I've noticed." Forte said.

"You gonna blab or get in?" Cherry asked.

"I'm nervous..." Forte latched onto her. "Hold me, mon cherie."

"Oh, for Celestia's sake..." Cherry complained.


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as they were all on board; the entrance closed up and Jimmy soon got back into the pilot seat and piloted them to Africa after it took off to the sky. Simon looked out the window as they were flying up into the sky.

"Ever fly up in the air like this before, little man?" Lee smiled to Simon.

"Ne pas me fréquenter." Simon narrowed his eyes deathly towards him.

"I'm not, I'm not." Lee said.

Simon then looked back as he watched the view, then smirked as he started to imagine what it would be like if they crashed and he survived on his own.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile in the Pridelands..._**

Rafiki had told the others that their human friends were on their way and they had some special guests coming along to meet them. Simba and Nala were very pleased to hear that. Kopa was happy himself, but he looked a little distant.

"Are you okay, son?" Simba asked his eldest.

"I'm... I'm just wondering..." Kopa replied. "About Ryan back in that zoo... I wonder if he and his dad are doing okay."

"We're sure that they're alright, son." Simba said.

"I really missed you guys, but... Ryan was a real pal..." Kopa said. "I taught him how to be a real lion."

"Don't worry, Kopa, it will be okay," Simba soothed. "Besides, some of your old friends will be here soon and some new."

"Yes, yes, it'll be a wonderful time for us all." Rafiki added in with a smile.

"Mom, Dad, will I ever find true love?" Kopa asked.

"Someday you will and don't worry, you won't have to have an arranged marriage, you can like whoever you'd like and the same goes for your brother and sister." Simba said.

"But when?" Kopa sighed.

"You can't rush these things, Kopa, one day, you'll find her and she'll be the luckiest lioness in the jungle." Nala cooed.

"Mom, Dad, why don't we make peace with the Jungle Emperor and his family?" Kopa asked.

"No, Kopa, I already told you," Simba glared slightly. "Those monsters harmed your great-grandmother's family and they can't be trusted, the same goes for the Outlanders."

"But Dad, this war between them has gone long enough; don't you think it's time we make peace with the Jungle Emperor and his family so we can stop this war?" Kopa asked. "Besides, at least we would have allies in case the Outlanders or anyone from outside the Pridelands tries to attack."

"I said no, Kopa, that's my final word." Simba glared while Nala actually looked thoughtful.

Kopa sighed and walked back into the den. "I don't care what Dad says, I'll show him..." he mumbled to himself.

"Simba, don't you think it's time that this war comes to a stop?" Nala asked.

"I can't take any chances." Simba firmly replied.

"That was a long time ago, you should move on," Nala suggested. "You shouldn't unbalance the Circle of Life."

Simba sighed as he had a feeling inside him that ending the war between him and the Jungle Emperor was the right thing to do and where he soon looked at Kopa who was continuing his way into the den. Kopa curled up into a ball and sighed softly. Kiara and Kion were coming in for the night.

"Kopa is becoming very wise." Simba said.

"So, does that mean what I think it means?" Nala asked.

"What're you thinking?" Simba asked her.

"That it's time to make peace with the Jungle Emperor and his family." Nala said.

"I'll think about it..." Simba sighed.

"Simba..." Nala frowned.

Rafiki soon went back to his tree to do his drawing and speak with Mufasa who was in Heaven, but could still answer with the wind. Nala sighed as she hoped and prayed that Simba would reconsider his opinions about the Jungle Emperor. At Rafiki's tree he was doing drawing/painting of Kopa, Kion, and Kiara.

* * *

"Oh, Mufasa, the children have grown much and we're all still happy to have Kopa back from the zoo," Rafiki smiled as he drew the three cubs that their grandfather would never get to meet in person, but only watch over from Heaven with Sarabi. "Every day, Kiara grows more beautiful into a Queen that will someday make us all very proud and she'll do just fine with her big brother by her side to help her whenever she needs it. Not to mention Kion is doing well for his Lion Guard, even if he has a cheetah, a bird, a honey badger, and a hippo on his team, but this cub Kovu grows stronger. And Zira fills his heart with hate. I am very worried, Mufasa. Things are not going well, especially when Kopa reminded Simba of the Jungle Emperor."

Suddenly the wind started to blow, telling Rafiki Mufasa had a plan.

"Hmm?" Rafiki noticed this as his gourds seemed to shake from the wind. "You have a plan?"

The wind was able to somehow make a painting of Ruki as a full grown lioness at about Kopa's age and then two fruits were blown off and hit the ground next to Rafiki after the two fruits broke in half.

"What...?" Rafiki picked up the fruits. "Kovu... Kiara... Kopa and a lioness from the Jungle Emperor... All together? This is the plan?" he asked softly before having a breakdown. "Are you crazy?! This will never work! Sarabi, you tell Mufasa he's been up there too long, his head is in the clouds!"

The wind then seemed to blow hard at the baboon.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, all right!" Rafiki then gave in. "I don't think this is going to work, but I trust you... I just hope you know what you are doing!"

Mufasa and Sarabi did indeed know what they were doing.

* * *

 ** _Later that night..._**

"Kion, where are you?" Kiara was looking for her younger twin brother. "Kion? Kion!" she then looked in the distance and saw her twin brother with one of his friends which was the female cheetah.

"So, what did you want to tell me, Kion?" Fuli asked.

"Um... Well..." Kion sounded shy around the female cheetah.

Kiara would have spoke up and wanted to know what he was doing up so late, but she decided to let him get out whatever he was trying to say.

"Kion, what is it?" Fuli asked.

"Fuli, do you believe true love can exist between different species of animals?" Kion then uttered out nervously.

"Yeah." Fuli nodded.

"Ooh~..." Kiara quietly put a paw to her mouth in surprise and had a small smirk.

"What about a lion with a cheetah?" Kion then smirked to his best girl friend.

"Oh...Um..." Fuli blushed.

Kion blushed himself. Kiara giggled as she hid away.

Kion heard that and glared once he saw his older twin sister. " **KIARA!** "

"Oops!" Kiara smirked.

"What are you doing up?" Kion asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." Kiara smirked to him.

"Um..." Kion said, unsure.

Kiara smirked.

"Uh, I'll see ya later, Kion...' Fuli rushed away as she then nervously blushed.

Kion glared to his sister for making Fuli go away like that. "Thanks a lot, Kiara."

Kiara walked off back to Pride Rock then. Kion snarled as he followed her home.

"Sorry, bro, isn't my fault you were too scared to tell Fuli your feelings for her." Kiara smirked.

"Hey, mind your own business!" Kion glared before muttering under his breath. "Heyvi kabasa you're impossible..."

"I know." Kiara smirked.

Kion groaned as they went into the den for the night.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Meanwhile on the Tortuga..._**

"Are we there yet?" Felicity asked. "I need to stretch my legs."

"Don't worry; we'll be there within hours." Jimmy Z said.

"Can we take out our Pokemon?" Estelle asked.

"I think a break would be good, JZ." Aviva suggested.

"Okay, you kids can take out your-Wait, did you just say Pokemon?" Jimmy Z asked Estelle.

"Why yes, yes, I did." Estelle smiled proudly.

"But Pokemon aren't real," Jimmy Z said before pausing. "Aren't they?"

"Stop the vehicle." Felicity said.

They decided to take a quick break and the four teenagers came out in front of the Kratt Brothers and their friends.

"'Scuse me, Scruffy." AKito said as he opened his bag.

"Which Pokemon are you gonna choose?" Scruffy asked.

"Probably Pupitar," Akito said. "He was my first after all."

"Yeah," Scruffy nodded. "Ooh, along with Machoke."

"Hmm..." Akito hummed in thought.

Vincent brought out Ninetails, Felicity brought out Mismagius, and Estelle brought out Ursaring.

"These are the Pokemon we first had back when they were a Vulpix, a Misdreavius and a Teddiursa." Vincent told the others who didn't know.

Akito soon brought out two Pokeballs and tossed them in front of them, letting out Pupitar and Machoke. "And these are Pupitar and Machoke, Pupitar has been with me ever since he was a Larvitar and I've had Machoke ever since Emi gave him to me." he then explained with a smile.

"Which makes him your favorite." Estelle teased at the mention of Emi.

Akito soon smiled with a blush. Emi smiled sneakily to him slightly.

"Well, that's true..." Akito admitted with a small shrug.

"This is so cool." Chris smiled as him and his brother admired the Pokémon.

"Yes, Pokemon are a very special and enjoyed species," Emi smiled. "Each is very special and unique and must be treated with kindness and respect and I should know."

"Aviva, can you make us some Pokémon power discs?" Martin smiled.

"I'm sure I could work that to my advantage." Aviva agreed.

"Erm... Pokemon power discs?" Felicity asked curiously.

"That means Aviva is going to experiment with the Pokémon and find out how their abilities work and then start working on discs that will be able to give us the same power and abilities of them." Chris said.

"Hmm... Fascinating..." Felicity sounded interested as did Simon.

Aviva began to do experiments on the Pokémon as they start show off their attacks and abilities. The teenagers showed off their Pokemons' best commands in the process as Aviva did her work. And where she and the rest of the Wild Kratts were impressed and amazed while she continued to record all of her research and findings in the Pokemon.

"How was that, Papa?" Ninetails smiled to Vincent.

"You are such a prodigy, my son!" Vincent smiled, meaning son in a term of endearment, even if the Fox Pokemon thought of Vincent as his own father and Jenny as his own mother since he was first hatched.

* * *

It took a while but the Pokémon Power Discs were done, but it was rather late.

"We should get some sleep." Jimmy Z yawned.

"I could use some rest myself..." Ursaring agreed as he lay down right behind Estelle like a loyal pet dog.

"You've earned it, Teddy..." Estelle gently stroked his fur. "You do me real proud."

* * *

After putting the Tortuga on autopilot and setting the coordinates to the Savanna, everything was set and everyone could now get some sleep.

"Maman, I am not sleepy..." Felicity pouted to Cherry.

Cherry heaved a sigh and looked to her daughter. "Would you like a story?"

"Oui." Felicity smiled.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed. "What story shall I tell...?"

"How about the one when you finally realized that Papa was the one for you?" Felicity suggested.

"Hmm..." Cherry hummed as Forte seemed to be sleeping or at least maybe pretending to be sleeping. "That seems harmless enough... Let's see, it was an hour until mine, Atticus, and Mo's high school graduation..."

* * *

 ** _Flashback_**

 _Cherry was in her bedroom and was trying on her cap and gown as there came a knock at her door. "It's open!"_

 _Forte walked in, in his form where he was around her age and held something behind his back: a tny black box which contained a certain trinket. "Erm, it's me, Cerise."_

 _"What do you want, Forte?" Cherry turned around, folding her arms at him._

 _"I would like to ask you an important question." Forte said._

 _Cherry raised an eyebrow. Forte fumbled with his words slightly and seemed slightly nervous._

 _"Well, **OUT WITH IT!** " Cherry demanded. "I don't have all day!"_

 _"Will you..." Forte showed the engagement ring with a skull top. "Marry me...?"_

 _"What did you say...?" Cherry's eyes widened and she spoke softly._

 _"Will you marry me, Cherry Butler?" Forte asked._

 _Cherry still looked perplexed._

 _"I just want you to know if I can't have you, nobody can..." Forte narrowed his eyes as he grabbed her by her shoulders and held a knife against her throat which could kill her if he slit it despite her being a vampire now like him._

 _"We have been through a lot together..." Cherry actually stopped to think about it, but she did seem slightly frightened of his behavior, she hadn't felt this way since she was a child._

 _"So, what's your answer going to be?" Forte asked._

 _"Let me think about it..." Cherry took out a cigarette and started to smoke._

 _"Oh, for the love of!" Forte snarled and lifted his knife in the air to strike her down._

 _"I do." Cherry breathed out smoke before he could cut her._

 _"Wait, what?" Forte asked, freezing in place._

 _"I'm just surprised you ask me sooner..." Cherry turned away as she took her smoke._

 _"Erm... Yes..." Forte stared at the floor. "You've always interested me... Plus when you were young, you seemed like such a sweet and innocent child..."_

 _Cherry took out her cell phone and called her mother. "Mom, I'd like two plane tickets to Paris, France after my graduation."_

 _ **'Okay, luv.'** Michelle replied._

 _"France, what a perfect place." Forte smiled._

 _Cherry then hung up._

 _"Erm, what are you going to France for?" Forte then asked._

 _"Our honeymoon..." Cherry plucked her cigarette out of her mouth as she blankly looked into his eyes._

 _"Ohh." Forte smiled._

 ** _End of Flashback_**

* * *

"That's it?" Felicity asked.

"That's it..." Cherry had a small smile, but it was very small that no one could tell if it was a real smile or not, only she knew.

"That was short," Felicity said. "And yet romantic."

"Well, I cut out all the bad words, but you know the drill..." Cherry shrugged stoically.

"Do you think Chip will fall in love with moi?" Felicity wondered.

"You're the only girl he's had any interest in all his life." Cherry replied.

Felicity then smiled bashfully as she took that as comforting maternal advice as she had hopes of having Chip be her boyfriend.

* * *

After about two hours, the Forte family soon fell asleep as well. Forte held Cherry in his sleep as she nuzzled against him. Simon was curled up in a ball and seemed to fight and snarl in his sleep. Akito was fast asleep with Emi sleeping along side him.

"Fighting evil by moonlight, Winning love by daylight~..." Lee seemed to sing in his sleep.

Estelle smiled in her sleep while sleeping alongside Lee. Jenny giggled in her sleep as she was beside Vincent. Akito and Atticus and Estelle soon started to have the same vision.

* * *

 _They could see the Pridelands, only it seemed to be like a nightmare version of it. The sky was a hellish red and Zira was moving over with her rogue lionesses to destroy Simba while an adult Kovu seemed to be by his side. The same was said for Leo and his family along with their daughter. Zira called out attacks, mostly for Simba since he 'killed' Scar. They could also now see a glowing light in the shape of Pupitar as it was now starting to change its form._

 _'Is Pupitar evolving?' Akito wondered with high hopes._

 _And where to his surprise in the vision, Pupitar was indeed evolving, but it didn't show Pupitar's evolved form._

 _'Aw, come on!' Akito groaned._

 _'Impatience isn't a virtue, Akito...' Zadavia's voice advised the young, but wise boy._

 _'Zadavia?' Akito asked._

 _'Is this a vision?' Estelle asked._

 _'Yes, it is, my young friends...' Zadavia's voice replied. 'I am speaking you through your consciences with the help of your friend Ingrid.'_

 _'How is she doing?' Atticus asked._

 _'She wishes to see you all again real soon,' Zadavia replied. 'Also Atticus, I would like your children to come visit Planet Freleng whenever possible for dinner with Saffron, Ixta, and myself.'_

 _'They would love to.' Atticus said._

* * *

 _Akito and Estelle smiled, but then looked scared of the vision of Zira and her lionesses attacking Simba. They then soon saw all of Zira's pride turn over to the Pridelands side. However, Zira did not seem to be with them, but Vitani actually agreed about joining Simba's pride._

 _'Looks like Zira is going to be alone in the end.' Akito said._

 _'I wonder where she is?' Estelle thought out loud._

 _'I'm sure we'll find out when it happens...' Atticus said as he put his arms around his twin children._

* * *

 _Kiara appeared to be pregnant as she smiled to Kovu._

 _'Okay, I think our vision is showing us further into the future.' Estelle said._

 _'I think we're done here,' Atticus said before things started to fade. 'We should be waking up any time now.'_

 _'Aww!' the twins groaned._

 _'Five more minutes, Dad!' Akito pouted._

 _'Sorry, but I can't control how long these visions last.' Atticus replied._

 _'Oh, fine.' The twins pouted._

* * *

And where they did indeed wake up as the sun came up.

"Rise and shine, guys!" Zoboomafu smiled excitedly. "It's another beautiful and brand new day!"

"Okay, okay, we're up." Aviva giggled.

Zoboomafu giggled as he jumped all around to wake up the others. Cherry grabbed him by his tail in her sleep and threw him back.

"Sorry about that, Cherry's not much of a morning person." Atticus said to the lemur.

"I can tell." Zoboomafu said.


	8. Chapter 8

After a while, everyone was ready for the day as they arrived at the Savanna. Vincent and Jenny looked very excited about visiting the Pridelands. Emi and Lee were excited as well.

"Okay, I think we have enough distance from any animals to not startle them." Jimmy Z said.

"Oh, trust me, we'll be fine." Mo reassured about having contact with the animals.

"I invented something else for help understanding the animals." Aviva said before bringing out devices that looked like ear pieces.

"We're good there too." Cherry said.

"You guys sound so sure." Chris replied.

"Let's just say we have our way in understanding them." Atticus said.

"As it has been our whole lives," Cherry said. "We never knew how it came to happen, but we were just born with it."

"Well, for the rest of us; we'll be using animal translators." Aviva said.

"You do that." Mo nodded.

The Wild Kratts soon put on their animal translators and where they were going to have the rest of the kids have some only they said the same thing. Once they were ready, they then moved out to visit Pride Rock. And where they brought along the creature and Pokémon power discs and creature power suits.

"These lions aren't gonna eat us, are they?" Lee asked.

"Lee, relax," Estelle replied. "I've known Kion, Kiara, and Kopa since they were cubs, and Mom, Dad, Aunt Cherry, and Uncle Forte knew Simba and Nala when they were cubs, you'll be fine."

"Whew." Lee sighed.

Estelle giggled. "You worry wart."

* * *

They all soon left the Tortuga and where they didn't take the Createrra. Atticus, Cherry, Forte, and Mo led the way to the Pridelands.

"This is so exciting." Lee smiled.

"It's gonna get even better." Estelle smiled to his excitement.

"Ooh." Lee smiled.

Estelle smiled as they went off to explore the jungles.

"And we should be turning into lions now." Felicity said.

"Lions?" Lee, Jenny, and Emi asked, wondering why she would say that until suddenly, it became true and it happened.

And where all of them, besides the pets and Pokémon, became lions.

"Ah, it's good to be back..." Cherry stretched once she was in lion form.

"This is so awesome!" Chris smiled.

"Where do we go now?" Martin wondered.

"Follow us, we'll take you to Pride Rock." Cherry said.

"Lead the way." Aviva said.

And so they did and it was just a normal morning in the jungle so far, even though Kopa was still a little hurt about his father's denial about making peace with the Jungle Emperor's Pride. Kiara was with Zuri and Tiifu, having some girl talk and Kiara told them she thinks she should convince Simba to have a hunt alone for the first time since he's been way too overprotective lately since her encounter with Kovu. Kion was spending time with the Lion Guard going on patrol to see how everything was doing.

* * *

"Uh, Kion, about the other night?" Fuli spoke up.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Kion replied. "Um, it's okay."

"You sure?" Fuli asked.

"Don't worry about it, it's gonna be okay..." Kion said.

"Kion, someone's coming into the Pridelands!" Ono flew over urgently.

"Who is it?" Kion asked the egret.

"I'm not sure... Some of them look familiar, but others seem like strangers." Ono replied with a shrug.

"Can you tell what animals they look like?" Kion asked.

"They're lions and three of them are the strangest creatures I've ever seen..." Ono said.

"Were they... Um... Oh, what's that word?" Kion struggled. "Pocket things...?"

"Yeah, only one of them kind of looks like a human with grey skin and another looks like some kind of floating thing." Ono said.

"Must be our old friends, I haven't seen them since we became the Lion Guard." Kion looked hopeful.

"Yeah, it's been years since we've seen them." Fuli smiled.

"Behste, Bunga, come over here!" Ono called. "We got company!"

The hippo and honey badger then came over and they became one as they did way back then with the return of the roar.

* * *

"This place seems so majestic." Lee said.

"Yeah, it's quite magical for a jungle." Estelle smiled.

They soon saw five familiar animals running to them.

"Here comes the Lion Guard!" Akito cheered.

" **DOG PILE!** " Behste laughed.

"Uh-oh." Vincent smiled.

Akito smiled, but then his eyes widened as the other animals jumped on top of him, but of course, he wasn't hurt, but he then laughed as he was with the Lion Guard for the first time since he was eight. When the Lion Guard dog piled on him, the Wild Kratts grew concerned.

"Okay, get up..." Akito laughed as he crawled out. "Just how old are you all?"

"Human or animal years?" Ono smirked as he perched on top of Behste.

"You know what I mean." Akito smirked back.

"Some old habits are hard to break." Behste chuckled.

Emi, Jenny, and Lee looked slightly nervous to see wild animals this up close.

"Who are your new friends?" Bunga asked.

"Well, these two are the Kratt Brothers: Chris and Martin, with their friends, Aviva, Jimmy Z, and Koki," Akito introduced. "This is also Zoboomafu."

"I'm Lee Clark," Lee introduced himself. "Estelle's boyfriend."

"I'm Emi Ketchum," Emi bowed her head. "Younger sister of Ash, The Pokemon Princess, and Akito's girlfriend."

"And I'm Jenny Foxworth, heir to the Foxworth Fortune," Jenny gracefully moved. "And Vincent's girlfriend."

"It's nice to meet you all." Kion smiled.

"Likewise," Chris said. "Man, I can't believe I'm really talking to a lion."

"Well, I guess then this is your lucky day then." Bunga said.

"You can say that again." Martin chuckled.

"Did you get new Pocket Monster friends, guys?" Kion asked. "These ones seem different than our last meeting."

"That's because the ones you met before evolved." Mo said.

"Evolved?" the Lion Guard asked.

"For Pokémon, that means growing up." Pupitar said.

"Ohh..." the Lion Guard now understood.

"Mine needs a special trinket though so she can evolve too," Felicity smiled in memory. "I gave her what was called a 'Dusk Stone'. It somehow ended up in our backyard one day and she seemed to like it, so I gave it to her as a gift, and when I woke up the next morning, she turned from a Misdreavus into a Mismagius."

"Interesting." Ono said.

"Very much." Felicity agreed.

"Come on, guys, Mom and Dad will be so happy to see ya." Kion smiled as he walked toward Pride Rock.

"So when did you two get girlfriends?" Bunga smirked at Akito and Vincent.

Akito and Vincent blushed slightly.

"Since... Forever..." Vincent replied smugly.

"And how long have you and Lee been going out?" Fuli asked Estelle with a playful smirk.

"Forever..." Estelle narrowed her eyes.

Fuli giggled. "Where'd you meet him?"

Estelle blushed and looked away then. "School."

"I thought it was the day before school and where he helped you unpack." Akito smirked playfully.

Estelle punched him, but she knew it was pointless, but luckily it didn't hurt her.

"Ow?" Akito glanced at her strangely for attempting to punch him.

* * *

They continued their way to Pride Rock and where they also saw a full grown white lion and his mate and son going to the same place. Kiara was getting ready for her first hunt tomorrow and reminded her friends she wanted to try this alone without an escort for once. And where they understood.

"Good luck convincing your dad." Zuri said.

"Yeah, you'll need it." Tiifu agreed.

"Thanks, girls." Kiara smiled.

Zuri and Tiifu smiled back.

"Okay, any cute boys in your life?" Zuri smirked.

"Ooh, I wanna date your brother Kopa!" Tiifu squealed. "He's so hot!"

"Totally!" Zuri agreed.

Kiara narrowed her eyes. "Guys, that's my brother..."

"Yeah, we know, but he's just so hot!" Tiifu squealed.

"He's the cutest lion in the whole pride!" Zuri gushed.

"Oh, brother..." Kiara sighed.

* * *

Kopa was at a tree and started to strike it with his claws as he thought about how rather angry he was with his father for being stubborn about making peace with the Jungle Emperor's pride. He continued to strike it until he saw the Jungle Emperor himself along with his mate and son.

"Excuse me, young cub?" the adult male lion asked.

Kopa's earth green eyes widened, he then walked over and bowed loyally. "Good day to you, sir."

"By any chance, are you Prince Kopa?" The adult male white lion asked.

"Yes, sir," Kopa replied. "You must be Leo."

"That would be me," the adult male white lion replied. "And this is my Empress Leah and our son, Lune."

"May I help you?" Kopa then asked the visiting lion family.

"We are looking for your father." Leah said.

"Should be inside," Kopa decided to lead them into the den. "Come with me please."

The family then followed behind him, but kept their distance just to be sure.

"Dad? We have visitors!" Kopa called.

"I'm coming!" Simba called back.

"Just a minute, please." Kopa smiled to the visiting lion family.

The lion family soon nodded.

* * *

After a while, Simba came out to see who his visitors were.

"Who's here, son?" Simba asked before seeing the white lion and then narrowed his crimson eyes. "YOU!"

"Simba, my family and I mean you and your pride no harm; we only wish to make peace." Leo said.

"It's all we ask." Leah added in gently with a bow of her head.

Simba would have denied their request for peace, but he knew down in his heart that this war between them had to end. "Okay." he then sighed.

Kopa looked hopeful and smiled once he heard that.

"Thank you, Simba." Leo said.

Simba then glanced to see only a boy cub. "Didn't you have two cubs...?"

"We lost her during a storm and don't know where she is." Leo frowned.

"I was hoping and praying she ended up here after we came to make peace..." Leah looked devastated.

"My pride, the Lion Guard, and I will help and find her." Simba said.

"Much appreciated, King Simba." Leo said as he and Leah bowed to him to show their respect.

* * *

Kion and the others soon arrived at Pride Rock. Simba told them what he was just told about the Jungle Emperor's missing daughter.

"A missing princess?" Ono gasped.

"I'm afraid so." Simba said.

"Yes, there was a terrible storm and we just lost her," Leo frowned, deeply worried about his little girl. "I've been fearing the worst."

"I just hope it isn't true..." Leah had tears in her eyes about their only daughter possibly ending up dead.

"I'm sure she's still alive." Lune said.

"I hope so, Lune." Leo sighed to his son.

"Maybe I could hang out with Kion and Kopa until she's found..?" Lune suggested with a small smile.

"That sounds like a nice idea, Lune." Leah said.

Lune smiled to his mother then.

Leo sighed. "Sure, why not?"

Kopa looked up to his father.

"I suppose that would be okay..." Simba gave in, trying his best to be gentle with his guests.

"Thanks, Dad." Kopa smiled, happy that his father was giving this peace between his father's pride and Leo's pride a chance.

The cubs decided to bond with Lune. Leah smiled sadly, but bowed her head with tears as she was deeply worried about her little Lukio.

"Now, now, Leah, I'm sure she's fine..." Leo attempted to soothe his mate.

"We all know what it's like to lose someone..." Nala said. "I used to have a younger brother... A father too..."

"What happened to them?" Leah asked.

"My father went out for a hunt one time and he never came back," Nala frowned. "He looks so much like Kion, so we named him after him... And my little brother... He usually stayed home with my mother since he was really little... Scar's madness went overboard."

"And...?" Leo was nervous to hear more.

"The hyenas were starving and Scar didn't do anything... So... The hyenas... Ate my brother..." Nala replied softly.

"Oh, my..." Leah said out of fright.

Nala nodded. While the adult lions talked, the cubs bonded and decided to get to know Lune, Lee, Jenny, Emi, Chris, Martin, Aviva, Jimmy Z, Koki, and Zoboomafu better.


	9. Chapter 9

"This is incredible." Aviva said.

"So, what are you exactly?" Lune asked Zoboomafo.

"I'm a lemur, you sound like you've never heard of us before." Zoboomafo replied.

"We don't exactly see a lot of lemurs in our jungles, well, not here anyway." Kopa explained.

"They usually live farther away." Ono said.

"Consider yourself Pride Rock's Guest of Honor." Bunga chuckled.

"I'll try to be a good guest." Zoboonafu smiled.

"Zuka Zama!" Bunga cheered.

The others who did not know that term just stared at the honey badger oddly.

"Is that an African proverb?" Jenny asked.

"That's Bunga's catchphrase." Akito smiled.

"What does it mean?" Zoboomafu asked.

"Pop up and dive in." Bunga smiled to the lemur about his catchphrase.

"Yeah," Pupitar nodded. "There's even a song that comes with it."

Bunga looked like he was about to sing, but the others stopped him before he could. "I'm hungry anyway," he said to the others, then came up to a log and picked it up while licking his lips. "Mm, love grubs! Not like, love!"

"Ew!" The girls winced.

"What's that?" Lune wrinkled his nose.

"A grub," Bunga picked out a slippery, slimy, and fat grub in his paws before slurping it. "Slimy yet satisfying!"

Lune could only wince out of disgust. The others merely gave nervous smiles.

"Oh, Uncle Timon's right ,the cream filled ones are the best!" Bunga cheered.

"The cream filled ones?" Emi asked.

"Trust me, Emi, you're better off in the dark." Akito whispered.

* * *

"So Lune, how connected are you and your sister?" Lee asked.

Lune looked confused. "I'm afraid I don't understand the question."

"He means how close were you two?" Vincent said.

"Ohh," Lune understood then. "Pretty close, we were kinda like best friends."

Akito and Estelle smiled, feeling touched by that statement.

"We know how that feels." Akito said, referring to himself and Estelle.

"Such a wonderful feeling." Estelle smiled.

Lune continued walking with them until he felt something in his heart, telling him that his sister was close by. He seemed to stop and held his chest with one of his frontal paws.

"What's your sister like?" Kopa sounded curious.

"She's very brave and what Dad calls tomboyish; whatever that means." Lune said.

"That means she acts more like a boy." Lee said.

"Ohh." Lune smiled.

"Yeah, my sister Megan is a tomboy sometimes." Lee nodded with a smile back.

"Cool." Lune smiled.

"You know, sometimes you can tell where your twin is because something inside you tells you where he or she is." Akito said.

"Really?" Lune asked before gesturing to his heart. "Does it happen in here?"

"Why yes, it usually does," Estelle replied. "Why do you ask that?"

"I think I'm getting it." Lune looked hopeful then.

"Then lead the way wherever your heart is telling you to go." Akito said.

"A-Are you sure I should wander out?" Lune asked. "I mean... My sister's missing already."

"Trust me; if you follow your heart, you'll find your sister." Akito assured him.

"If you say so..." Lune sounded nervous, but took a deep breath. "I think I'm ready."

"Then let's get going." Akito said.

"Um... Okay..." Lune smiled.

The others thought that was a good idea.

"You guys go ahead, we're gonna explore." Chris said, referring to himself and the other Wild Kratts.

"Okay." Emi said.

The Wild Kratts then decided to explore and see the sights of the Pridelands while Lune began to follow his heart to find his sister. And where she was getting ready for her assassination on Kopa sense she still didn't remember who she was except for her name.

* * *

"You have trained very well, my friend." Vitani grinned to Lukio.

"Thanks Vitani, but I just can't help feeling that this is wrong." Lukio said.

"Wrong?" Vitani glanced at her. "You heard what Mother said..."

"Yeah, I know, but it's just that I don't think I can just go and kill him." Lukio frowned, referring to Kopa.

"You have to!" Vitani glared. "Kovu's going to use the daughter to kill Simba and it's your duty to kill Kopa while we rise to the top to make Scar proud!"

"I-I'll try." Lukio said.

Vitani almost seemed guitly of what she was saying, but it was her mother wanted.

* * *

Zira came to check on her youngest and darkly chuckled as he was now about the age of a teenager and even had a black mane and looked a little like his predecessor before him, only he had no scar over his face of course. "You are ready... Nice... Very nice..." she then circled her little Chosen One. "You have the same blackness in your soul that Scar had. What is your destiny?" she then quizzed with a malicious grin.

"To avenge Scar and take his place in the Pridelands." Kovu said.

"Yes!" Zira beamed. "What have I taught you?"

"Simba and his human friends are the enemy..." Kovu narrowed his emerald eyes.

"And what must you do?" Zira then asked.

"I must **KILL THEM!** " Kovu snarled.

Lukio went wide-eyed as she didn't seem to like this idea at all and where she decided to leave the Outlands and go into the Pridelands to warn Simba and the others. Zira's lionesses liked the idea however. Vitani seemed a little guilty, but she hid it by agreeing with her mother while Nuka just looked jealous of Kovu's rise to popularity.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Kiara woke up as early as she could as she was going to have her first solo hunt.

"Hey, Kiara, you ready for the day?" Kion yawned.

"Yep, my first hunt alone," Kiara said. "I told Zuri and Tiifu the deal and I hope Dad just remembers to back off."

"I'm sure he will." Kopa said.

"He better..." Kiara meant it this time.

"Come on, let's go meet the others for your big debut." Kopa smiled to his little sister.

"Watch and learn, little brother." Kiara smirked to Kion.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Kion smirked back.

Nala walked toward Simba as they waited outside Pride Rock with the other lionesses. Atticus and the others soon arrived for the special occasion as well. Timon and Pumbaa seemed rather emotional as Kiara was a teenager now as they stood with Bunga. Fuli was there as well along with Beshte and Ono.

"Kiara." Rafiki came by the young lioness's side.

Zazu flew over and smiled at what a proud day this was for many. Kiara continued to make her way down to her parents. The lionesses wished Kiara good luck and they were so excited for her.

"My, how you've grown!" Sarafina smiled.

Nala and Kiara shared a nuzzle together.

"You'll do just fine." Nala encouraged her daughter.

"Hopefully Dad stays to his promise." Kopa whispered.

Kion nodded in agreement for Kiara's sake.

"Daddy... You have to promise to let me do this on my own," Kiara reminded their father. "Promise?"

"All right..." Simba sighed softly. "I promise."

The two then nuzzled against each other which made Timon and Pumbaa cry out loud.

"Uncle Timon, Uncle Pumbaa..." Bunga groaned. "You're embarrassing me..."

"Well, they get emotional at moments like this." Atticus said.

Kiara then left the pride so she could start her first hunt alone. Zuri and Tiifu smiled to their best friend as they allowed her to go alone.

"She'll be alright on her own." Kopa said.

Zuri and Tiifu giggled dreamily to Kopa. Kopa rolled his eyes to them, but kept a polite smile since they were his sister's best friends.

"Make sure she doesn't get hurt." Simba said quietly to the meerkat and warthog.

"And he's breaking his promise." Akito whispered to himself once he overheard Simba with his super-hearing.

"I'm honestly not surprised..." Atticus overheard his younger son.

"Dad, why won't Uncle Simba trust Kiara alone?" Akito sighed.

"He's being one of those overprotective parents." Atticus said.

"You seem tame compared to him when I first dated Lee." Estelle smirked.

Atticus's claws soon sheath as he was wanting those two to not be alone together.

"Whoops, spoke too soon." Estelle's eyes widened.

"Easy, tiger..." Cherry said to Atticus.

Lee started to back up slowly. Atticus glanced to Lee and Estelle.

"Um, come on, guys, let's go do something else while Kiara hunts?" Estelle smiled nervously.

"Yeah." Lee smiled nervously back in agreement.

'Hmm..." Simba hummed firmly while Kopa decided to go after Timon and Pumbaa.

"I can't believe this." Kopa sighed.

"Dads." Jenny also sighed.

"I know, right?" Vincent asked.

"Unlike your dad who's so cool." Akito said to his girlfriend.

"I think he's mostly that way because you saved him from Giovanni and Oogie Boogie." Emi replied with a smile.

"Looks like Lee might need to do the same thing to Dad." Estelle said.

"Might be a good idea, but we'll worry about that later." Felicity said.

Kion left with the Lion Guard, but stood close next to Fuli as their tails seemed to touch each other. And where this caused Bunga to snicker quietly.

* * *

Chris and Martin came back with their Wild Kratts crew.

"So, you guys enjoying Pride Rock?" Akito smiled to them.

"We sure are." Martin smiled.

"Experiencing it up this close is like a whole other experience itself." Chris added.

"Well, glad we could make it fun for you." Felicity beamed.

"We're even making new animal friends." Zoboonafu said.

"Well, that's good." Jenny smiled. "The more the merrier, I always say."

Lukio seemed to be stalking in the grass and she looked around for the one they called Kopa, but her eyes seemed to lay on the white lion cub in the crowd which caught her attention the most. Lune was still concerned for his twin sister but could feel she was close.

"Hey, where's Kopa?" Jimmy Z noticed someone missing.

"He's going after Timon and Pumbaa, Simba promised to let Kiara hunt alone, but he just broke it..." Lee sighed.

"Well, at least he'll be able to try to keep Timon and Punbaa from ruining Kiara's first hunt alone." Koki said.

"I certainly hope so." Emi replied.

"Same here." Jenny said.

Simon seemed to wander off on his own as everybody else talked. Lukio decided to find out who this white lion was later as she had to find Kopa so she could give him a warning. While she did that, Nuka and Vitani had to bring fire to the Pridelands. And where Kopa was beginning to try to keep Timon and Pumbaa from ruining Kiara's first hunt alone.

* * *

"Tango-Charley-Alpha," Timon called to Pumbaa. "What's your position?"

"Uhh... Upright... Head turned slightly to the left... Tail erect?" Pumbaa replied in confusion.

"Why do I even bother?" Timon groaned.

"Ahem." Kopa cleared his voice as he was right behind them.

The meerkat and warthog flinched before looking behind them.

"Just what do you two think you're doing?" Kopa glared at his father's best friends.

"Just our job; making sure Kiara stays safe and doesn't get hurt." Timon said.

"Guys..." Kopa glared. "Kiara is a teenager now, she can hunt by herself."

"But what if something happens to her?!" Timon panicked. "Don't you reemmber when we let YOU go off on your own? You got taken to that zoo!"

"She's in the middle of a hunt, I'll make sure she doesn't get caught by any poachers." Kopa said.

"But, Simba said-" Pumbaa started.

"I know what Dad said, let me handle this, okay?" Kopa replied. "She's MY sister, why don't you guys go hunt for grubs or something?"

"Well, okay, if you say so, kid." Timon said.

"I do." Kopa replied.

The meerkat and warthog then went off.

Kopa nodded firmly and he decided to just make sure Kiara would be all right. "Go get 'em, Kiki."

Kiara was going after a group of antelopes.

Kopa could see a few pebbles on the ground and where he could see that those could cause a problem for Kiara. "This can't be good..." he said to himself.

Little did they know, Nuka and Vitani were going to start a fire for Kovu and Lukio to move out against Kiara and Kopa. And where Kiara soon accidentally made a little noise which made the antelopes run. Kopa gasped a little.

* * *

Kiara turned over and glared to see her older brother. "Kopa?!"

"Now, now, this isn't what it looks like..." Kopa tried to explain.

"Dad sent you, didn't he?! I can't believe it, after he promised I'd do this on my own he lied!" Kiara glared.

"Kiara, let me explain-" Kopa tried.

"I should've known he wouldn't give me a real chance!" Kiara frowned bitterly.

"Kiara, listen, Dad didn't send me; I came here so then I could stop Timon and Pumbaa from having to watch over you and somehow ruin your very first hunt just because Dad is afraid you'll get hurt or captured by poachers." Kopa said.

"What?" Kiara asked.

"I'm serious, I'd never lie to you!" Kopa promised, hoping she would believe him.

"I believe you, big bro," Kiara said. "Now I have to go and catch up to my hunt; wanna come with me?"

"Ya sure?" Kopa smiled.

"Well, since you were honest and though I'd like to do this alone, I guess you could come." Kiara allowed. "You could give me some pointers."

"You got it." Kopa said.

Kiara smiled to Kopa and moved out with him to get those antelopes. And where the antelopes were away from the Pridelands. Nuka and Vitani were done with their job and had to run off back to Zira before they would get trapped themselves and Nuka did briefly before catching up with his sister.

"Okay, the trick is to stay quiet and then shift your claws into the ground softly, so then they don't make a sound." Kopa whispered.

"Right..." Kiara whispered back as she tried that for herself.

Kopa began to show a demonstration. Kiara then studied her older brother's moves.

"The plan is in motion," Zira looked pleased. "Go!" she then commanded to Kovu and Lukio.

"Okay, get ready and...Go!" Kopa told her once he saw the antelopes were on the move even before either of them could make a sound.

Kiara grinned and chased after the antelopes as her brother had taught her how. Kopa smiled, happy that his younger sister was doing just what he taught her, but then smiled at something else. Kiara was older now, so she knew she didn't have to beg for his attention, but she made sure he was watching so she could do this properly.

Kopa smiled, but then focused on something else as she moved on. He could see smoke moving and which confused him at first until he had an idea of what that meant. "Fire...?" he asked himself. He then saw tat Kiara and the antelopes were going in the same direction as the fire. "Oh, no..." he looked horrified, he then rushed off. "Kiara!"

* * *

Simba was anxiously pacing around Pride Rock.

"Don't worry, Simba, she'll be fine," Zazu soothed his worries. "What could happen?"

"King Simba, look, isn't that smoke?" Leo asked.

"No... No..." Simba looked alarmed. "Kiara!" he then looked to Zazu. "Zazu! Fly ahead, find her!"

"I'll come with you." Leo said.

"No, this is my daughter." Kiara said.

"Please Simba, let me help, I know what it's like to lose somebody." Leo reminded him.

"Alright, you may help." Simba said.

"Just trust me, okay?" Leo asked.

"Very well..." Simba replied. "Come along then."

Zazu went to fly and look for Kiara, fearing she was in grave danger.

Kion and the rest of the Lion Guard soon went off to find Kiara as well. Ono went in the air like Zazu to look around to see if he could find Kiara. Kiara soon slowed down to see the running away from something and she could see what it was a wild fire.

* * *

A pair of zebras managed to escape the flames, but Kiara didn't seem so lucky. Kiara coughed and choked as the smoke grew thick and her vision became blurry.

"Kiara? Kiara!" Kopa's voice called out.

"Over here!" Kiara coughed.

"Kiara!" Kopa went to where he could hear her.

The smoke and flames appeared to be getting worse which then made Kopa cough as he was coming to save his sister. And where he soon saw her and the two of them saw where they thought they would be safe from the fire. While they did that, Kovu and Lukio seemed to stalk after the two Pridelanders. Kopa and Kiara did their best to make it to the very high rock and where they made as the wild fire almost trapped them.

The two were roughly coughing and had a hard time seeing as they tried to get away from the jungle fire. And once they reached the top of the rock, the two of them collapsed from exhaustion. Kopa might have been a healer like Sarabi was, but he could not save himself and Kiara from something as drastic as this. Kovu and Lukio both soon appeared next to them. The two Pridelanders glanced up briefly before blacking out and Kovu and Lukio saved them from certain death. Lukio's save was real while Kovu's was only part of the plan.

"I must tell Simba!" Zazu gasped once he saw that.

"What is it, Zazu?" The young egret came up next to the older blue hornbill.

"I found Jungle Emperor Leo's daughter, but I also found Kopa and Kiara with an Outsider with them." Zazu said.

"No way!" Ono replied.

"I must report this to Simba at once." Zazu flew right back to Pride Rock.

"And I better report back to Kion." Ono said.

Zazu went to Pride Rock while Ono went to find the other members of his Lion Guard. Kovu and Lukio dragged Kiara and Kopa back to shore after they escaped the hellish fire.

* * *

The Lion Prince and Princess both coughed and woke up. "Where are we...?" they both asked wearily.

"You're both safe," Kovu smirked. "In the Pridelands."

"You two nearly died." Lukio said.

"The Pridelands... No!" Kiara stood up and looked outraged. "Why did you bring us here?! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

"Kiara, I think we should actually be thanking them, besides, we blacked out in the middle of the fire." Kopa said.

"Yeah!" Kovu couldn't believe Kiara's reaction. "We just saved your lives!"

"Look, we had everything under control!" Kiara retorted.

"Not from where we were standing." Kovu scoffed.

"At least you could be grateful that we saved your lives." Lukio said.

Kiara merely glared while Kopa gave a thoughtful glance to Lukio.

"Thank you both for saving our lives." Kopa said.

"Well, you're welcome." Kovu nodded to him.

"Yeah." Lukio smiled.

Kovu and Kiara seemed hostile toward each other. Kiara kept jumping from side to side which brought back something familiar from the past.

"What're you doing?" Kovu glanced at Kiara as Kopa and Lukio seemed to smile to each other.

Kopa and Kiara both remembered an Outsider lion cub who asked that same question.

"Kovu...?" Kiara wondered.

" **KIARA!** " Simba called as he had come with the other lionesses, including the Jungle Empress.

"By any chance, would your name be Lukio?" Kopa smiled at Lukio.

Lukio gasped slightly. "H-How do you know my name?"

Simba jumped in front of his two children, splitting them up from Kovu and Lukio then.

"Dad!" Kopa gasped at that.

"Oh, you're both all right." Nala looked relieved to see her cubs.

"Dad, I found Jungle Emperor Leo's daughter." Kopa smiled.

"Jungle Emperor...?" Lukio asked as she then held her head with her front paw. She had forgotten everything except her own name, but those two words seemed to stick to her mind. And where a an older white lion seemed to appear in her mind. "Father...?" she then wondered.

This caused for Leo to go wide-eyed before he looked at Lukio and he started to smile as tears started to form.

"Are you okay?" Kopa asked Lukio.

"It's... It's coming back to me!" Lukio said as she seemed to realize her true self.

"Coming back to you? So that must mean you must have lost your memories except what your name was." Kopa smiled.

"I only remembered my name and a few years ago, I came around these jungles and a pride took me in." Lukio said to him.

"I'm afraid to ask, but what pride took you in?" Kopa asked.

"I believe the lead lioness was named 'Zira'." Lukio replied.

Nala gasped slightly in horror.

"You did this!" Simba growled at Kovu.

"No, please don't blame Kovu; you see, I lost my memories before I arrived in his mother's pride." Lukio said.

"Simba..." Nala warned her mate about grilling up against Kovu because of being an Outsider.

"But, um, your majesty, just like I saved your oldest son, Kovu saved your daughter." Lukio said with a bow.

"Hey, you!" Rafiki called which made everybody turn to him as he glared to Kovu. "How dare you save the king's son and daughter!"

"You both saved them?" Simba asked. "Why?"

"I humbly ask to join your pride." Kovu replied maturely.

"And I wish to be reunited with my family." Lukio said.

"No!" Simba glared to Kovu. "You were banished with the other Outsiders!"

"I left the Outsiders," Kovu replied. "I am a rogue. Judge me now, for what I am... Or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit? Besides, Lukio isn't a true Outsider, she was just abandoned into our care when she was a young cub."

"It's true." Lukio defended.

"Simba, you owe them your son and daughter's lives." Nala said to her mate.

"Hmm, yes, sire," Zazu agreed. "Clearly we are in his debt... And royal protocol demands that all debts be paid. Though in this case you might want to make an exception. After all, you did make up with the Jungle Emperor Leo for Kopa's sake, did you not?"

Simba hummed, thinking this over and where he did have to pay back both Kovu's and Lukio's debts and besides, she hadn't been with her family for years. "Hmmm... My father's law will prevail. For now, I reserve judgment. We'll see who you really are." he then said to Kovu and Lukio about joining the pride.

Lukio became a little nervous, but was happy to be back with her father and had a feeling her mother and brother would be close by.

"Hmph! Riffraff..." Zazu muttered about Kovu as they were on their way back to Pride Rock.

They soon went to Pride Rock as it was getting rather dark.


	11. Chapter 11

"Sorry about your first hunt alone, Kiara." Zuri said.

"It's okay, I should have known my father would never give me a real chance." Kiara frowned.

"Cheer up, Kiara, maybe it'll get better." Tiifu suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Kiara said. "Well, I better thank Kovu and Lukio for saving mine and Kopa's lives."

"We'll get home, good night, Kiara." Zuri said.

"Good night, girls." Kiara nodded to her best friends before going to meet Kovu and Lukio.

* * *

Kovu was about to head inside the den of Pride Rock.

"Um... Hey..." Kiara called.

Kovu turned to see her.

"Thanks for saving me and my brother today." Kiara said.

"What were you doing out there anyway? I can understand your brother being out there because of experience with hunting, but you, you wouldn't have survived." Kovu said.

"What?" Kiara replied.

"You wouldn't last three days on your own." Kovu smirked.

"Oh... And I suppose you could teach me if my brother was too busy?" Kiara replied, feeling provoked.

"Yeah, even if he wasn't too busy, I'd let him join in." Kovu scoffed.

Kiara seemed to smirk with Kovu. Kopa appeared to be looking for something to give to Lukio to welcome her into Pride Rock.

"Kiara!" Simba came to his daughter and the Outsider teenage cub.

"Coming!" Kiara told her dad.

Kovu kept looking to Kiara.

"All right, impress me," Kiara then said to Kovu. "We start at dawn." she then walked off to join her father.

"I look forward to it." Kovu chuckled to himself.

* * *

Kopa continued to look until he saw some beautiful African flowers. "Oh, how lovely..." he said to himself.

"Kopa!" Simba called out.

"Coming, Dad, just a minute!" Kopa called back, then looked down to the flower field. "These are really beautiful," He soon picked up some of them to give to Lukio. "She'll love these!" he muffled as he carried the flowers in his mouth and had a spring in his step as he went his way home to surprise and impress his new crush.

Kovu would have joined them inside the den, but Simba didn't exactly approve of him going inside. Nuka and Zira were secretly watching as Kovu was made to sleep outside. While Lukio was welcomed to come inside with her family. Leo and Leah smiled as they were reunited with their daughter at last.

* * *

Lune smiled the same way as he was finally reconnected with his twin sister. Kopa came in with the African flowers he found which weren't poisonous. Lukio smiled to him.

"Excuse me." Kopa muffled as he approached the family.

The family turned to him, curiously and happily.

Kopa soon bowed his head to Lukio before placing the flowers he got for her in front of her.

Lukio blushed. "Flowers...? For me...?"

"For you." Kopa smiled shyly to her.

"They're a welcome present to welcome you into the Pridelands."

"Oh, how thoughtful." Leah smiled to that.

"Erm... Thank you, Prince Kopa." Lukio replied.

"You can just call me Kopa." Kopa smiled.

"Okay... Kopa..." Lukio said then with a smile back. She then soon rewarded him for his kindness and gift with a kiss on the cheek or in this case; a lick on the cheek.

Kopa blushed and his eyes widened slightly as he was not expecting that.

"Thank you." Lukio smiled as she accepted the flowers.

"You're very welcome." Kopa smiled back.

Lukio soon went to sleep with her new flowers and her family. Kopa then smiled as he went to join his own family for the night. He soon saw Kiara smirking at him at how he reacted to his first kiss. He rolled his eyes as he came down beside her and Kion who was already fast asleep.

* * *

Everyone else soon fell asleep.

Felicity seemed to be awake as Simba appeared to be having trouble sleeping himself. "I wonder what's wrong with Uncle Simba?" she then whispered to herself.

"Flick?" Cherry turned to her daughter.

"Maman, I am worried about Uncle Simba," Felicity said. "He looks troubled in his slumber."

Cherry looked to the current Lion King of Pride Rock and had to agree with her daughter. "He appears to be having a nightmare."

"What could his nightmare be about?" Felicity asked.

"Do you want me to find out?" Cherry sighed to Felicity's curiousity.

"Yes." Felicity smiled.

"All right, you wait with your father, I'll be right back." Cherry replied as she went to see Simba.

Felicity nodded as she soon went to her father. Cherry came next to Simba and gently grabbed his shoulder as she was then going to be taken into his dream.

* * *

 _"Simba... Simba!" Mufasa's voice called. "Help me!"_

 _"This must be when Mufasa died." Cherry remembered._

 _"Father!" Simba called back._

 _Cherry then heard a familiar evil laughter. She looked up to see a darkened figure who was rocking by the moonlight. "Scar?" she then wondered._

 _"Dad, just a little farther." Simba said as he reached out for his father._

 _Scar latched onto Simba's upper foreleg. Cherry winced as that looked rather painful._

 _"Gotcha..." Scar grinned maliciously. "Trust me..."_

 _"Simba!" Mufasa cried out. He began to slip and slide down the gorge like he had done in the past which led to his untimely death._

 _"Nooo!" Simba yelped, before glaring at Scar. "You!"_

 _Scar laughed wickedly before he slowly morphed into Kovu._

 _"Whoa, did not see that coming." Cherry said._

 _Kovu laughed as he let go of Simba and made him fall with Mufasa to die while laughing._

* * *

Simba woke up then and panted heavily from that rather horrific nightmare. Cherry was soon back with her husband and children.

"Is Simba okay, Maman?" Felicity asked.

"I believe Simba is thinking Kovu will be just like Scar." Cherry replied based on what she saw from the nightmare sequence.

"Oh, my..." Felicity frowned.

"Afraid so." Cherry nodded.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day came sooner than anyone knew. Kiara woke up earlier than anyone else to meet Kovu for her hunting lessons. Kopa did as well and where he saw Kiara up as well who then went over to him and brought him with her outside.

"You're up early." Kiara said to Kopa.

"I always wake up at this time." Kopa said.

"Oh?" Kiara replied.

"Yeah, really," Kopa said. "So, why are you up so early?"

"Well... Um... Don't tell Dad, but I asked Kovu to give me hunting lessons," Kiara said. "I thought you might wanna sleep... Or spend some time with that Lukio girl..." she then smirked.

"Why? Can't we come too?" Lukio asked.

Kiara shrugged. "Well, I did kinda wanna do this with Kovu alone, but I'm sure he won't mind the company."

"Great, let's go." Lukio agreed.

"Yeah." Kopa said.

* * *

The three of them then went to wake Kovu up as it was bright and early in the Pridelands. They saw that Kovu was already up as they saw him away from Pride Rock, but not that far.

"Good morning!" Kiara giggled. "I'm ready for my first lesson!"

Kovu looked surprised to see her.

"Surprised ya, huh?" Kiara smirked as she bore her claws like Kopa mentored as she jumped around in excitement. "Hey, c'mon, let's go!"

"Yeah, come on." Kopa and Lukio said.

They then blushed to each other once they realized they said that at the same time. Kovu then shook his head and followed after the three others to start on his hunting lessons for Kiara. And where her lessons weren't going so well as Kopa, Lukio, and Kovu were laying down on a rock big enough for the three of them and where they could hear every sound she made. Little did they know, Timon and Pumbaa were asked to spy on them once again while Bunga went out with Kion and the rest of the Lion Guard with the Wild Kratts team.

"Three..." Kovu counted with a sigh.

"Two..." Lukio also counted with a sigh.

"One..." Kopa completed the counting with a sigh before the three of them timed it just right to get down.

"Gotcha!" Kiara took a leap of faith only for her to miss all three of them.

Kovu smirked as he then stood over Kiara.

"You guys could hear me... Huh?" Kiara smiled in slight embarrassment at her fail.

"Only a lot." Kovu told her.

"You are still breathing too hard, Sis." Kopa said.

"Yeah, you should relax, Kiara." Lukio advised.

Kovu was about to teach her the next step only for him to see her and Kopa already doing just that.

"Let me handle this," Kopa said to Kovu. "I am the big brother after all."

"Okay, but at least let me help you show her how to hunt." Kovu said.

"All right, but no funny business." Kopa smirked.

"Who's playin'?" Kovu smirked back.

They both soon saw a flock of birds landing down behind a hill which gave them the perfect opportunity to show Kiara how to hunt.

"Okay, Kiki, watch the master and learn." Kopa mentored his sister.

"Don't you mean watch the masters and learn?" Kovu smirked as she joined him.

"If you think you can do it." Kopa teased.

"Oh, ho, you are asking for it, Pridelander!" Kovu laughed.

The two of them soon got ready to pounce on any of the birds. Kovu had his claws extended just as Timon was forging for bugs. And where it caused the meerkat to scream, causing for Kopa to stop in his tracks, recognizing that scream anywhere.

* * *

"Timon?" Kopa raised an eyebrow.

"Kopa, thank goodness." Timon sighed.

Kovu came over which terrified the meerkat even more.

"Don't eat me! Please! I... I... I never really met your tyrant," Timon stammered nervously. "I mean, uh- Scar. Scar. Oh, heck of a guy. A little moody, but, I..."

"Timon, what are you doing here?" Kiara looked annoyed.

"Yeah, what are you doing here?" Kopa asked the meerkat.

"Friend of the family?" Lukio asked.

"More like an annoyance right now..." Kiara rolled her eyes.

"Hey, for once, we're not following ya," Timon defended himself and Pumbaa. "This just happens to be the best smorgasbord in the Pridelands. Bugs everywhere!"

"Looks like the birds were attracted by the bugs." Kopa said.

Timon then glared and tried to shoo away the birds from the bug spread. But it didn't seem to work as one of the birds seemed to glare back at him before it pecked his nose. Timon was then in pain and his nose glowed red from the pain. Pumbaa was then rushing down the hill to scare off more of the birds.

"Doesn't look like that's working." Lukio said, trying not to laugh.

Kopa hid a snicker to that. Kiara even started to giggle at the sight.

"Now what, O Mighty Hunting Expert?" Kopa smirked to Kovu.

Before he could respond, Pumbaa groaned from the weight of all the birds on his back.

"I don't think he can hold all those birds, Timon." Kopa said in a warning tone.

"I'll help him." Timon said as he went over to the warthog.

"Timon and Pumbaa..." Kopa sighed to Lukio. "You learn to like 'em."

Timon began to shoo the birds away.

"Hey Timon, what if Kopa and that guy helps?" Pumbaa asked, referring to Kopa and Kovu.

"Shoo!" Timon called before looking mostly to Kovu. "Oh, yeah, sure... There's an idea... Let's let a vicious Outsider and the heir to Pride Rock-Hey! Wait, I have an idea!" he then jumped off from the warthog's back. "What if they help?"

"What?" Pumbaa replied.

"Did he just take Punbaa's idea?" Lukio whispered to Kiara.

"He tends to do that a lot." Kiara whispered back.

"Wanna lend a paw?" Timon asked.

"Sure, Timon," Kopa smiled before looking to Kovu. "You can help if you want."

Kovu only glanced to the meerkat.

"Work with me!" Timon said before mimicking some growls.

"Like this..." Kiara walked over to the birds and let out a roar which scared them away instantly.

"Wahoo! Come on, do it again, do it again!" Timon cheered as he got on Pumbaa's back.

Kopa, Kovu, and Lukio soon roared next.

"Yee-haw!" Timon cheered with a laugh.

Suddenly, they were running down a hill as the birds were flying away itno a rout.

"Why are we doing this?" Kovu asked. "What's the point of this training?"

"Training?" Kiara laughed. "This is just for fun!"

"Yeah!" Kopa laughed.

"I haven't had this much fun in years!" Lukio laughed.

"Fun?" Kovu asked as though he had never heard of the word before.

Timon and Pumbaa ran by as the meerkat was holding onto a bird's leg.

"You never had fun?" Kopa asked.

"You gotta get out more often!" Timon laughed to Kovu before cheering.

* * *

Kovu then tried his best to join in on the fun and even cheered with them on the way down the hill.

Zoboomafu saw this and he wandered from Chris, Martin, Avivo, Koki, and Jimmy Z to have fun himself. He decided to join in on the fun.

"Zoboomafu, come back!" Chris called out.

"Wait for us!" Martin called out as he decided to join in on the fun.

"Typical Martin..." Chris chuckled to his brother's antics.

They continued to have fun until they saw a herd of rhinos. The birds sat on the rhinos' heads with smirks.

"Uh-oh." Kiara and Kopa replied.

The birds then blew raspberries at the other animals which made the rhinos charge for them.

"I have a suggestion for all of us," Martin said calmly before screaming. "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

The others screamed as they ran from the stampeding rhinos.

* * *

"Look at that, the rhino herd is loose." Zuri commented as she stood on a ledge with her best friend.

"Odd," Tiifu commented. "I'm sure Kopa can help stop it. He's so big and strong~"

Both lionesses sighed dreamily about the Lion Prince.

* * *

"Shouldn't you be stopping them?!" Kiara asked her older brother.

"I'm trying to think of a plan!" Kopa replied as they kept running away from the rhinos.

"Well, hopefully it involves us giving these guys the slip." Kiara said.

"I'm thinking... I'm thinking..." Kopa tried, he then found a crevice filled with rocks. "Bingo! Everybody turn that way!"

Everyone soon turned to the left. When they did, they hid away as the rhinos kept charging and luckily, had missed them.

"What a blast!" Kovu cheered.

"Oh... Sorry." Pumbaa replied sheepishly.

"That was exciting!" Lukio smiled.

"You're okay, kid." Timon smirked and gave Kovu a noogie.

"Hey!" Kovu called.

This caught Timon off-guard slightly. "...You're okay..."

"Uh, how are we gonna get out?" Zoboonafu asked.

"Better let me handle this." Kopa decided.

Kovu and Kiara were brushed up against each other and looked rather bashful towards each other. Kopa and Lukio were in the same predicament. Timon and Pumbaa had ended up on the walkway to find a way out.

"Hey! Are you four comin' or what?" Timon called for them.

"Yeah, or are you four just gonna stand there all day?" Zoboonafu asked while on Martin's back.

The four laughed sheepishly and purrs seemed to mix in with their laughter.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Meanwhile, just outside of Pride Rock..._**

"Love seems to be in the air..." Estelle said.

"If only I had Chip..." Felicity pouted.

Estelle seemed to whistle innocently after Felicity mentioned that name.

Felicity then looked to her cousin. "What... Did... You... Do?" She soon got her answer as a pair of paws covered her eyes. "Heeey! Wha...?"

A blonde furred cub with midnight blue eyes with a sheepish grin with a slight chip in his fangs was right behind her. "Guess who?"

"Chip?" Felicity smiled.

"Yes!" the blonde lion teenage cub came in front of her with a smile.

"Chip, what are you doing here?" Felicity asked in surprise. "I was not aware you had access to Pride Rock," She then heard Estelle continue whistle innocently which gave her the idea of how Chip got there. "Estelle?!"

Estelle smiled sheepishly. "It seemed like such a lovely day today, I'd hate for you to be left out..." she said. "I have Lee, Vincent has Jenny, Akito has Emi..."

"Well... Merci beaucop." Felicity then smiled softly to her cousin.

"You're welcome." Estelle smiled.

Felicity blushed.

"Well, looks like I can be on adventures too." Chip chuckled.

"It looks like a lovely night, I bet it won't even rain." Felicity looked up to the sky as the sun was setting.

"I bet you're right." Chip smiled.

Estelle smiled at them both before having her eyes covered by a strong lion. "Lee..." she then giggled slightly.

"Dang it." Lee groaned playfully.

Estelle smirked to him and he smirked back. "It's such a lovely night," She then said. "We should look at the stars."

"Agreed." Lee smiled.

"I love watching the stars myself." Jenny said as Vincent was practicing painting the way Rafiki had taught him.

"Same here." Vincent said while he was practicing painting.

"You're getting better." Jenny smiled.

"Thanks," Vincent replied. "I think I like brushes better though."

"Yeah, but then how would you learn to do painting without them?" Jenny asked.

"I know, I know." Vincent chuckled as he finished to show that he had painted them together in their lion forms.

"This is such a beautiful night." Emi smiled as she leaned her head against Akito's shoulder.

"A very, very beautiful night." Akito agreed as he held her with a smile.

"So, how's it going with Pupitar?" Emi asked.

"Getting stronger every day," Akito said. "I think he'll evolve soon."

"I hope so, he doesn't really seem to like how he is." Emi said as they both saw Pupitar stare at his own reflection.

"No, he doesn't..." Akito agreed. "He's been in a good mood before, but whenever he checks himself out like that, he just gets discouraged."

* * *

Pupitar began to look agree as he started to attack his own reflection in the water.

Akito came over to his Pokemon. "Aw, Pupitar, it's okay..."

Pupitar kept on attacking his own reflection, he seemed to no longer take it having to look the way he did.

Akito sighed. "Pupitar, please settle down."

"Why am I so different?" Pupitar frowned as he got some mud stuck on him then.

"Because you're covered in mud." Akito smirked as he decided to wash it off.

"That's not what I meant, how come..." Pupitar said before getting interrupted by Akito as he was washing him. "How come I have to be weird? Besides, you heard what Bunga said."

"Pupitar..." Akito tried to sound fatherly.

"Just look at me!" Pupitar cried.

Akito frowned then as his Pokemon looked very distressed and unhappy. He decided to comfort him the same way Kala did to Tarzan. "You know what I see?" he then asked.

Pupitar still looked very unhappy about his appearance that he didn't even respond.

"I see two eyes like mine." Akito said as he wiped off some more mud.

Pupitar still looked glum.

"And a nose somewhere I think, ah, here." Akito smiled as he gently poked the center of Pupitar's face.

Pupitar seemed to giggle from that, feeling slightly tickled.

"And also ticklish like anyone else," Akito smiled as he started to tickle him. "But most importantly, you have a heart just like everyone else."

"I do?" Pupitar asked.

"Yes, and you are perfect just the way you are, no matter how you look on the outside." AKito encouraged.

"I just wish I was a Tyranitar." Pupitar frowned.

"You will be soon," Akito soothed. "I promised, and you'll be so awesome! Like a Godzilla Jr!"

"Well until then, I'm gonna do lots of practicing." Pupitar said.

"Don't feel bad about yourself, Pupitar," Akito soothed. "If you keep putting yourself down, you won't be up about yourself in order to be happy..."

"I don't wanna be like Ash's Pikachu..." Pupitar had to admit. "He still hasn't evolved and Ash's had him for years."

"Well unlike you, Pikachu needs a Thunder Stone to evolve into a Raichu." Akito said.

"Shouldn't Ash have found one by now or somethin'?" Pupitar asked. "It's been years since he's gotten Pikachu!"

"I don't think he wants to evolve Pikachu due to all the memories they've made." Akito said.

"Hmm..." Pupitar hummed. "Well, I'm ready for the next step of my life, Vulpix is Ninetails and Teddy is an Ursaring now."

"I know, buddy, but you can't rush these things, I'm sure you'll evolve soon." Akito gently patted his Pokemon in a comforting way.

"I just wish I knew when I was going to evolve." Pupitar frowned.

Akito's eyes soon glowed.

"Ooh, something tells me I'm about to get my answer." Pupitar looked excited then once he knew that look in his trainer/father's eyes.

Akito could see Pupitar evolving right away due to his determination. And where it was actually happening as Akito's eyes stopped glowing and he saw Pupitar glowing and start changing.

* * *

"Pupitar, I have some good news-" Akito started until he saw what just happened. "Whoa."

"W-What's going on?" Ono asked as he and everyone else who saw Pupitar's evolution glow came over to see Pupitar was evolving.

Akito looked in anticipation and excitement as this was going to be very important. Everyone looked as the Pokemon glowed and he had turned into a green reptile almost dragon-like creature.

"I guess his determination really helped." Emi smiled.

"Pupitar, you've evolved into a Tyranitar!" Akito smiled as well.

Tyranitar soon went to the water to see his reflection and liked how it looked. He smiled as he did a spin and loved this new form. "Aw, yeah, I am the Pokemon!" He soon saw that everyone was looking at him which caused him to smile bashfully.

"Come, Akito, it's getting dark..." Emi came to her boyfriend's side. "Let's enjoy the night life, huh?"

"I agree." Akito said.

"I'll go and get some rest then." Tyranitar said.

"Are ya tired, buddy?" Akito asked.

"A little." Tyranitar yawned.

"Go get some rest with your cousins then." Akito said.

Tyranitar nodded and went to join his fellow Pokemon for some rest.

"Come on, Chip, Maman and Uncle Atticus told us about a nice spot to look at the stars." Felicity said as they were about to have a night that would become even more romantic and special after looking at the stars.

"Lead the way." Chip smiled.


	14. Chapter 14

"Whoa... Deep..." Felicity commented.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile back at Pride Rock..._**

"Father, I am lost," Simba sighed as he started a prayer. "I already tried to accept the Jungle Emperor and his family, but Kovu is one of the Outsiders and Scar's heir. How can I accept him?"

"Simba?" Nala asked as she and Atticus came over.

"I was seeking counsel from the Great Kings." Simba replied.

"Did they help?" Atticus asked.

"Silent as stars," Simba sighed. "My father would never-"

"Simba, you don't have to be your father, besides, you we came here to tell you that Kovu isn't exactly Scar's son." Atticus said.

"Right." Nala agreed.

"What?" Simba sounded surprised. "How did you know that-"

"I can see them down there just as easily as you can," Nala chuckled. "Get to know them and see."

"Yeah, besides, Leo isn't that bad once you get to know him." Atticus smiled.

"Hmm..." Simba merely hummed.

"And neither is Lee..." Atticus then said quietly to himself.

* * *

The young cubs then all went to this space to look at the stars for the night and it was quite romantic since they were with their loved ones.

"See that? See that?" Kovu pointed to one part of stars. "Look at that! It's really pretty."

"What? Oh, yeah..." Kiara smiled as she took a look. "There's one that looks like baby rabbit. See the fluffy tail?"

"Yeah... Hey! There's one that looks like two lions killing each other for a scrap of meat!" Kovu chuckled violently.

That was a bit extreme to Kiara, but for Kovu, it didn't seem to be too extreme at all. Kopa and Lukio were doing the same thing.

"Ah, I've never done this." Kovu said.

"Really?" Kiara sounded surprised. "My father, Kopa, and I used to do this all the time. He says all the Great Kings from the Past are up there."

"My father told me that once too." Lukio smiled.

"You guys think Scar's up there?" Kovu wondered.

"Yes, he is, but he goes by a different name." Kopa said.

Kiara said nothing about Scar as did the others. Lee seemed to have his mind somewhere else and which was how to gain Atticus's trust. Estelle nuzzled up against Lee. Kovu seemed to have something on his mind too.

"I love your eyes in the moonlight." Vincent nuzzled against Jenny.

"Aw! Thank you, Vincent." Jenny smiled before she saw Kovu looking rather sad.

Vincent blushed under his fur.

"What's wrong?" Kiara asked.

"Nothing..." Kovu obviously lied.

"Kovu..." Kiara pried.

"Kovu, we have to tell them." Lukio said.

"We can't..." Kovu replied.

"Guys?" Kiara asked them.

Vincent soon looked over to Kovu as the Outsider lion looked rather sad. Jenny and Vincent frowned as they looked a little unhappy for him.

"He wasn't my father, but still... He was a part of me..." Kovu sighed sharply about Scar.

"He doesn't look much like Scar." Lukio whispered to Kopa.

"Kovu was adopted." Kopa whispered back.

"We have to tell him the truth then." Lukio said.

"You think so?" Kopa winced. "He might not take it so well..."

"I know, but sometimes, the truth has to come out some way." Lukio said.

"That it does..." Kopa sighed.

"My father says there was a darkness in Scar that he couldn't escape." Kiara said to the Outsider teenage cub.

"Maybe there's a darkness in me too..." Kovu sounded hurt about how Scar really was.

"No, Kovu, there isn't, because, well..." Kopa started.

Kovu looked over to Kopa.

"Umm..." Kopa was nervous. "Well... You know Scar isn't your real father, right?"

"Yeah, I know that, but Zira is my mother..." Kovu sighed. "I have to be dark, right? That's why your dad hates me."

"No, you see, he only hates you because he thinks that since Zira called you her son, that makes you the son of Scar, but you're not; you can be different and stay true to who you are which is a kind and brave lion who is nothing like Scar when he was in power." Kiara said as she got closer to him.

"Nothing, I gotta go!" Kovu walked off to avoid the conversation.

"Kovu...?" Jenny called sadly.

Kovu paused for a moment, he looked back at her, but then kept going until he ran into a familiar baboon.

"And just where do you think that you are going?" Rafiki asked.

"Uhh... Nowhere." Kovu replied.

"Thanks what you think!" Rafiki sprung up with a laugh, slipping under him, and vanished into the grass.

"Another friend of the family?" Lukio asked Kopa.

"Yeah." Kopa nodded.

"Come on, you follow old Rafiki, he knows the way!" Rafiki chuckled to the teenage cubs.

"The way to where?" Kovu asked.

"You follow, you'll see!" Rafiki chuckled. "Hurry now!"

"Kovu/Lukio come on." Kiara and Kopa laughed as they started to follow Rafiki.

Kovu and Lukio were curious and disturbed, but eventually they did follow.

"Should we go with them?" Chip asked.

"It would be fascinating," Felicity said. "But I think this is just for them."

"We should let Kiara, Kopa, Kovu, and Lukio have their alone time." Estelle agreed as she stood next to Lee.

"Huh?" Lee asked as his mind was somewhere else. "Oh, yeah, they deserve it."

Estelle smirked slightly to him.

"Oh, totally..." Emi quickly agreed. "Let them get to know each other."

"Agreed." Akito nodded.

* * *

Kovu, Kopa, Kiara, and Lukio then continued to follow after Rafiki as the visitors let the four of them spend some time alone with each other. They continued to follow him until they lost track of him as they could only see the vine he used to swing.

"Where's he taking us?" Kovu wondered.

"I have no idea." Lukio blinked.

"Same here." Kopa said.

"To a special place in your heart called 'Upendi'!" Rafiki smiled to the teenage lion cubs. He came down from a tree and turned the four heads to the other that was destined to be with and let their noses touch.

There were hundreds of animals of all kinds who were coming together in the love fest. They swept up the lions in their arms and took them through what looked like a jungle Tunnel of Love while Rafiki was matchmaking the atmosphere. And where he even made fruit fall.

"There's a place where the crazy moon, Makes the monkeys sing and the baboons swoon, And the sultry scent of the lotus bloom, Will carry you away~" Rafiki sang to them. "Where the hippos swing from the jungle vines, And the rhino rhumba in a conga line, And the pink flamingoes are intertwined, As the stars come out to play~"

The lions were curious as the baboon sang to them about 'Upendi'.

"Where is it?" Kopa asked.

"In Upendi, Where the passion fruit grows sweet, And it's so divine, That you lose your mind, As it sweeps you off your feet~" Rafiki continued sing. "In Upendi, Without a worry or a care, It just takes two, To make it true, Your heart will lead you there."

"No place you don't take with you." Rafiki told him after covering his eyes and clearing out one of his ears.

Lukio giggled as she was enjoying this so far.

"You can beat the bush like there's no tomorrow, From Tanganyika to Kilimanjaro, But you'll find Upendi wherever you are, Oh underneath the sun~" Rafiki continued to sing.

"Upendi is the meaning for love, isn't it?" Lukio asked.

"Welcome to Upendi!" Rafiki laughed once the Jungle Emperor's daughter even understood. "In Upendi, Where the passion fruit grows sweet, And it's so divine, That you lose your mind, As it sweeps you off your feet~" He sang. "In Upendi, Without a worry or a care, It just takes two, To make it true, Your heart will lead you there."

"In Upendi~" Kiara and Kopa joined in. "Without a worry or a care, It just takes two, To make it true, Your heart will take you there, Upendi!~"

The four of them enjoyed the rest of the night together. They giggled as they were having a lot of fun and they were all falling in love. Kiara to Kovu and Kopa to Lukio, even more than he did already when he gave her flowers to welcome her into the pride.

* * *

The four of them soon made their way to Pride Rock while singing the Upendi song.

"Good night..." Kovu and Lukio said.

"Good night." Kiara and Kopa replied as they went to get some sleep after a lovely evening together.

Kovu looked rather sad as he had to sleep outside. Kiara, Kopa, and Lukio went inside of Pride Rock to sleep. Simba came up to Pride Rock and where he saw that Kovu didn't looked really comfortable outside the den and decided to give him a chance.

"It's kinda cold tonight, huh?" Simba asked.

Kovu glanced to him slightly.

"Come on." Simba allowed Kovu to sleep in the den for tonight.

Kovu smiled as he was allowed inside the den.

"Get him!" Vitani said in a hushed tone as she watched over this. "What're you waiting for, Kovu? Get him! What is taking you and Lukio so long?" she then snarled in despair and went back to report this to Zira right away.

* * *

And where this caused for her to roar and snarl out of rage.

"You're sure?" Zira snarled.

"Affirmative," Vitani replied. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"Kovu and Lukio cannot betray us!" Zira scowled.


	15. Chapter 15

The next day, Kovu and Lukio were going to tell their lovers why they were there at first. Lukio smiled as she slept with her family for the first time since she had gone missing. She then frowned a little as she woke up to see Kopa and she knew that she couldn't keep this hidden from him any longer. She had to tell him the truth about herself after she was found by and taken in by Zira. Lukio decided to tell him right away.

Kopa yawned and stretched. "Man, what a lovely dream I had..." he smiled goofily to himself.

Lukio giggled sheepishly as she had a good feeling about what he dreamed about and walked up to him. "Uh, Kopa? I need to talk to you about something..."

"What is it, Lukio?" Kopa asked.

"Um... Well... I..." Lukio sounded nervous. "The thing is... I..."

Kopa tilted his head.

Lukio took a deep breath. "Um, would anything ever make you stop loving me?"

"Never, I would love you no matter what." Kopa said.

"What if... I was different...?" Lukio asked.

"You are different," Kopa replied. "That's what I like about you."

"I mean what if I was really born in the Outlands?" Lukio asked.

Kopa looked curious. "But, you're not like those Outsiders like Kovu is to Kiara... You're the Jungle Emperor's daughter."

"Well, the thing is, I lost my memory and ended up in the Outlands," Lukio said. "Zira trained me with Kovu to do something terrible..."

"Let me guess, knowing her, it was to kill me and my father, right?" Kopa asked.

"Kopa, I'm so sorry, I never wanted to hurt you..." Lukio had guilty tears in her eyes now. "I love you!"

"I love you too," Kopa smiled as he nuzzled her. "And you don't have to follow her orders anymore."

Lukio smiled in gratitude as she nuzzled him back.

"We should tell Dad though." Kopa said.

Kiara came inside of the den.

"Kiara, where's Dad?" Kopa asked.

"Oh, he went to have a walk and talk with Kovu, I think he's finally warming up to him." Kiara smiled.

"Oh, no... Which way did they go?" Lukio asked.

"I think they're out in the Savanna." Kiara replied.

"We have to go and make sure that nothing bad happens to them." Lukio said.

"I agree, come on!" Kopa went with her.

Kiara looked curious, but slightly worried, though she was sure her brother could handle this.

* * *

"You really like this Lee boy, don't you, Estelle?" Atticus asked his daughter as she seemed to have her head in the clouds today.

"I really do." Estelle nodded.

"I see..." Atticus replied.

"Dad, you're not gonna freak out, are ya?" Estelle asked.

"I just want to know if I can trust him." Atticus said before they saw a wild Arcanine, looking like it was ready to attack.

"Where did _you_ come from?!" Estelle panicked at the Fire Canine Pokemon.

The Aracnine snarled as it looked anything but friendly as it came close to the father and daughter.

"Get it, Dad!" Estelle called.

Lee, who was out on a jog, saw what was happening and decided to come and save the day. The Arcanine looked rather menacing as he was going to attack the father and daughter.

"Leave us alone!" Atticus tried to shove away the Pokemon.

The Pokémon was sent flying a bit, but then landed on its feet, looking ready to attack again, only this time, Lee came out and tackled it to protect both Atticus and Estelle. Atticus was about to go on, but then saw what Lee was doing. And where he was impressed with how brave Lee was being.

"You stay away from the pretty lady and her father or else I'll do worse, ya hear?!" Lee glared at the Arcanine.

The Arcanine seemed to whimper slightly.

Lee was about to kick the Pokémon away, but then he saw a thorn in its paw and now understood why it was attacking. "Oh, you got a thorn in your paw..." he frowned.

Arachine whimpered as he looked stuck.

"Here, little guy, lemme get that." Lee decided to help out the poor Pokemon.

The Pokémon simply growled at the word little.

Lee then put his lion muzzle against the thorn and grabbed it with his teeth. "Now, this might sting a little..." he said through his teeth as he then plucked the thorn out.

Arcanine cried out of pain.

"Ooh, I'm sorry..." Lee said, then spit out the thorn. "There, it's over now."

Arcanine barked at him before starting to lick him.

Lee laughed as that tickled. "All right, boy, go back to your home now..." he then walked off which only made Arcanine follow him like a lost puppy.

"Aw! Lee, I think he wants to come with you." Estelle smiled.

"You think so?" Lee asked as he looked back.

Arcanine smiled to Lee and looked attached to him.

"Don't you have a family?" Lee asked.

Arcanine nuzzled up against Lee.

"Looks like he doesn't have anyone with him." Atticus said.

"Maybe you should keep him?" Estelle suggested to Lee.

"Oh, I dunno..." Lee shrugged, but he did smile to Arcanine and did find him fun and charming.

Arcanine started to nuzzle up to Lee.

Lee smiled and put his paw around the Arcanine. "Well, I guess I could keep him... I have always wanted a Pokemon like you guys."

"Thanks, because I don't exactly have a family." Arcanine frowned.

"Then where'd you come from?" Lee wondered as he gently cuddled with the canine Pokemon.

"I've been wondering all my life ever since I can remember." Arcanine said.

"Too bad you didn't meet Jirachi," Estelle said to Lee. "They make wishes come true."

"But don't they also only make wishes come true by teleporting things?" Lee asked.

"Lee, adopt the Arcanine, you know you want to." Estelle smirked.

"Well, okay, but don't I have to catch him?" Lee asked.

"Yes, but you should get to know him better so he knows he's yours." Estelle mentored.

"Ohh." Lee smiled.

Estelle smiled back. "Think of him as... Your son."

"Or at least a friend." Arcanine smiled.

Lee smiled back to the Pokemon. "He is like the dog I've always dreamed of having."

"Only he's bigger than you've dreamed." Atticus said.

Lee chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

"I wonder where everyone else is...?" Atticus hummed as it seemed quiet in the Pridelands so far.

"Were two of your friends two lions?" Arcanine asked.

"Why yes, of course." Atticus replied.

"Oh, they went down in the Savanna, it looks creepy down there, I could've sworn I saw glowing red eyes when I was on my way here." Arcanine replied.

"Oh, no, quick, lead us right to where you saw them." Lee said.

"Come with me, this way!" Arcanine led the way.

Lee then followed after which made Estelle and Atticus go after.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Meanwhile in the Savanna with Simba and Kovu..._**

"Scar couldn't let go of his hate," Simba narrated to Kovu. "And in the end, it destroyed him."

"I never heard that story of Scar before, he truly was a killer." Kovu frowned.

"Fire is a killer, sometimes, what's left behind can grow better than the generation before... If given the chance." Simba replied as he put his paw down and slightly raised some dust to show a young plant there.

There was an evil chuckle behind the dust which seemed to make Kovu rather nervous.

Arcanine continued to rush off to where he saw them and where he was using extreme speed while Atticus, Estelle, and Lee were on his back.

"Good boy." Lee whispered as they were on the way to where the others were.

Kopa and Lukio seemed to be going in the same direction.

"Please don't let them be attacked." Lukio prayed.

"No... Oh, no..." Kovu feared the worst.

"Why... Simba..." Zira emerged from the darkness.

"Zira..." Simba narrowed his eyes.

"Dad!" Kopa's voice called out.

"What are you doing out here so alone?" Zira smirked as the lionesses circled Simba. "Well done, Kovu, just like we planned..."

"You." Simba glared to Kovu.

"No, I didn't have anything to do with this!" Kovu yelped in defense.

"Attack!" Zira demanded.

* * *

Kopa, Lukio, Arcanine, Lee, Estelle, and Atticus soon appeared as back-up for Simba and Kovu.

"Ooh, a bonus I see..." Zira chuckled as she summoned her lionesses to attack Simba. "Get them too if you must!"

Scruffy and the others soon appeared by magic from the Tortuga. "Whoa!" he then yelped.

"What's going on?" Dot yawned as she stretched.

"Looks like we just got ourselves into a battle." Snow White said.

"Oh, boy, I'm gonna teach whoever's against us a lesson!" Scruffy challenged. "I'll show them some Puppy Power!"

"How would a pride of lions do?" Bartok asked.

"Either way, they're going down!" Scruffy challenged. "I never back down from a challenge!" he then muttered under his breath. "Unless it involves a bubble bath."

"You are some puppy..." Bartok shook his head slightly as he flew with the other pets to help Simba as he was being weakened by Zira's lionesses.

Everyone soon attacked Zira's lionesses. Kovu even tried to help Simba, but it was no use so far. Kopa did his best to defend his father while also defending Lukio. Simba was suddenly thrown at the bottom of a ravine.

"Yes!" Zira cheered. "We've got him!"

Vitani and the other lionesses rushed after Simba which made him flee away into the canyon. Atticus and the others soon joined Simba to make sure none of the lionesses hurt him.

"Remember your training as a unit!" Zira called to her lionesses.

"Simba!" Kovu panicked.

"Quick, keep running!" Lukio called out.

Nuka emerged from the lionesses as he planned to do something to get his mother's attention once and for all.

"Quick, climb the logs." Lukio said.

Kopa tried to help his father as he seemed rather weak from the rogue lionesses. Arcanine helped the others as best as it could.

"Come on, Arcanine, you can do it, I know you can." Lee supported the Pokemon.

"Thanks." Arcanine smiled.

Lee smiled back.

"I'll help you out with more Pokemon stuff when this is all taken care of." Estelle promised Lee.

"Thanks." Lee smiled.

Estelle smiled back. They began to climb the logs.

"Get him, Kovu, get him, do it now!" Zira demanded.

"I'll do it for you, Mother!" Nuka laughed as he emerged from the crowd. "Mother, are you watching?!"

"We have to keep him away from Dad." Kopa said while climbing.

"But how?" Lukio frowned.

"I'm doing it for you... And I'm doing it for _me_!" Nuka snarled to himself.

"I'll hold him off, the rest of you go." Kopa said as he stopped and was going to attack Nuka as soon as he got close enough.

"This is my moment of glory!" Nuka laughed.

"I don't think so, Nuka!" Kopa snarled to him. He soon scratched Nuka so the older Outsider lion would lose his balance.

"Heeey!" Nuka yelped.

Kopa snarled as he made Nuka fall. "Leave my dad alone or else!"

"You shouldn't even be here right now!" Nuka roared. "My mother should've killed you a long time ago!"

"Yeah, but she didn't!" Kopa roared before rejoining the others.

* * *

Nuka chased after Kopa and grabbed his ankle. "I'll get you for her then, _Prince_ Kopa!"

"Fine, just watch your step." Kopa smirked.

"What do you mean by that?" Nuka asked.

"Have a nice fall." Kopa taunted.

Nuka soon slipped and fell out of Kopa's reach. The logs seemed to start tumbling and falling as Nuka was trapped. Kopa continued to climb up with the others. Nuka looked rather nervous as the logs fell as the others were able to escape.

* * *

"Whew." Arcanine sighed.

"Everyone okay?" Lee asked.

Zoboomafu came to check on the others.

"Oh, Zoboomafu, thank goodness." Felicity looked relieved to see the lemur.

"Where've you been?" Akito asked.

"I was looking for you guys with your pets." Zoboomafu replied.

"Where are they by the way?" Emi asked.

"They should be right here." Zoboomafu replied.

There was then a loud crash sound heard down below. The others looked down to see that Nuka had been painfully crushed by the logs.

"That's gotta hurt." Atticus winced.

* * *

Kovu looked horrified while Zira frantically pushed away the logs.

"Nuka..." Zira frowned.

"I'm sorry, Mother... I tried..." Nuka said weakly as he was dying.

Zira quietly shushed her son so then he wouldn't have to use up any of his strength. Nuka's eyes shut and he soon died in her paws.

"Nuka..." Vitani frowned as she came by Zira's side.

They soon knew right away that he was dead.


	17. Chapter 17

In the Pridelands, Simba was weakly walking to Pride Rock.

"Dad..." Kion looked worried, then turned to the hornbill. "Zazu, get help!"

"Oh, yes, help at once, of course!" Zazu flew away, following his wishes.

Kion, Kiara, Timon, and Pumba soon went to where they saw Simba along with the others.

"Father...?" Kiara frowned.

"Heyvi Kabasi..." Kion muttered in worry about their dad.

"Simba! Talk to me! What happened?" Timon cried out.

"Kovu... Ambush..." Simba weakly coughed.

"No, Simba; Kovu had nothing to do with the ambush." Lukio said.

Kiara didn't believe it either.

"It's all right, buddy, we're here for you." Timon comforted as he hugged Simba's tail.

Kopa decided to carry his father to Pride Rock.

"Thank you, Kopa..." Simba said weakly.

"Of course, Dad." Kopa nodded as he was strong enough to carry his father on his back.

"Wow, Kopa, you must have been training a lot while me and the others were away." Atticus smiled.

"Yeah, I wanna be just like you..." Kopa smiled back. "If only Ryan could see me now."

"Who's the big guy?" Pumbaa asked, referring to Arcanine.

"Uh, we'll tell ya later." Lee said as he came with Estelle of course.

"He's Lee's responsibility since he adopted him." Atticus explained.

"Yeah..." Lee agreed. "His name's Arcanine."

Estelle smiled since Lee was going to have his very own Pokemon. Hopefully this would mean she could take him on adventures with Ash, Emi, and the others in the near future.

* * *

Simba was made to rest in Pride Rock to keep up his strength and of course, Nala comforted her mate.

"What should we do?" Aviva asked.

"Just hope that Simba turns out okay, I hope he does..." Zoboomafu hoped as he was with the Kratts crew as always.

"Same here." The Kratt Brothers said in unison.

Zoboomafu came close to the Kratt Brothers as he had been close with them for a very long time.

Later on, Simba was waking up after regaining some of his strength.

"Daddy, it can't be true..." Kiara frowned as she stood with Kopa and Kion about Kovu harming their father.

"She's right, it can't be true." Koki said.

The others looked in the distance.

"It's Kovu," Fuli recognized. "What's he doing here?"

"That's Kovu." the giraffes said to each other.

"Look at that scar..." Ono commented.

"I can't believe he's here." Behste shook his head.

"That's Kovu?" Bunga replied in surprise.

"Yeah, that's Kovu." Mo said.

"I bet Zira gave him that scar." Akito said.

"Kovu!" Kiara smiled, but Simba cut in front of her.

"Dad, I don't think Kovu meant to hurt you..." Kopa frowned.

"Stay out of this, Kopa..." Simba firmly told his eldest cub.

"But, Dad-" Kopa started.

"Kopa." Simba glared.

Kopa frowned, feeling hurt, sad, and angry about his father's behavior.

"Why I oughta..." Timon glared to Kovu. "Let me at him! Let me at him! Here, hold me back." he then said to Pumbaa as he handed his tail to the warthog.

"Okay!" Pumbaa held his tail.

"Let me at him! Let me at him!" Timon then glared as he ran in place.

"Okay!" Pumbaa then let go of the meerkat's tail.

"I think you are missing the basic point here, Uncle Pumbaa." Bunga said.

"Uh..." Pumbaa felt lost.

"Thank you for trying, Bunga." Timon was glad at least someone got the point he was trying to make.

"Why have you come back?" Simba snarled to Kovu.

"Simba, I had nothing to do with-" Kovu tried.

"You don't belong here!" Simba glared.

"Please... I ask for your forgiveness." Kovu begged.

"Simba, maybe we should listen what he has to say." Atticus said.

"Silence!" Simba roared.

Mo, Cherry, and Forte gasped slightly.

"When you first came here, you asked for judgement and I pass it now..." Simba firmly told Kovu. " **EXILE!** "

"NO!" Kiara, Kopa, and Kion cried out.

"This is bad." Lee said.

Kovu was then forced to leave Pride Rock and the other animals glared to him. Kion and his Lion Guard however, seemed a little sad since Kiara was upset. Kopa and the others seemed like this was unfair. Kovu left the Pridelands and he didn't even dare go to his home in the Outlands since he was blamed for the death of Nuka.

* * *

"Simba, don't you think this has gone on far enough?" Cherry glared to Simba for his actions of exiling Kovu.

"I agree, exiling Kovu was low." Atticus said.

"You guys know what Scar was like..." Simba reminded them.

"Kovu wasn't even Scar's son!" Forte defended.

"Yeah!" Mo agreed. "Just because he was raised by Zira-"

"It doesn't matter," Simba glared back to them. "He's following in Scar's pawprints, Kovu used Kiara to get to me... Kovu is following Scar, and I am following my own father."

"You will never be Mufasa!" Kiara's voice cried out.

This surprised everyone and where Kopa didn't disagree with Kiara at all. Simba was stung in silence of his daughter's words. Kiara ran into the den and cried.

"I hope you're proud of yourself, Dad." Kopa firmly said to Simba with tears in his eyes before he then went to comfort Kiara the only way a big brother could.

"We'll be in the den if you need us." Lukio said as she decided to go inside the den as well.

"Simba, I can't believe you..." Cherry said before she icily walked away from the current lion king.

"I think we should go back to the Tortuga." Aviva said.

The others agreed to that.

"Any else in favor of comin'?" Jimmy Z invited.

"I'll come along." Vincent said.

Ninetails came to Vincent's side.

"You too if you want." Vincent gently pet his fox Pokemon.

"Yes, please." Ninetails said.

Vincent allowed him to while Jenny came to his side.


	18. Chapter 18

Kiara was having a cry while Kopa was comforting her the best way that he could.

"It'll be okay, Kiki..." Kopa tried.

"How?" Kiara sniffled. "I'll never see Kovu again!"

"Yes, you will." Kopa said before he showed an entrance to the back of the den.

"Hm?" Kiara looked over.

"Come on, let's go find him." Kopa told her gently, going to help her.

"You're gonna help me?" Kiara asked.

"What're big brothers for?" Kopa asked back with a sincere smile.

"Thanks, Kopa." Kiara smiled back.

"I'm coming too." Lukio said.

Kopa smiled to Lukio. "You sure you wanna risk it?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Lukio said.

Kopa seemed to blush under his fur while Lukio smiled to him.

"I was always told that love will find a way if it's true and pure..." Lukio said as she looked off in the distance. "So, I believe in love for Kiara and Kovu."

"I do too, I like to see my family happy..." Kopa replied.

The three of them soon got out through the entrance Kopa showed Kiara.

"Follow me, little sis." Kopa said.

* * *

Kiara nodded and followed her older brother. Lukio followed Kopa as well, trusting him with all her heart. Kiara looked around as it was getting dark in the jungle while they looked for Kovu.

"Where could he be?" Lukio asked herself.

Kiara looked up and saw two rabbits in the sky which then became two lions which made her think of Kovu already. Sarabi's image seemed to come into the water when Kiara looked into her reflection.

"Grandma Sarabi?" Kiara asked out of confusion.

Kopa and Lukio seemed to go ahead while Kiara froze.

"Hello, dear, I see you've been told about me." Sarabi smiled to Kiara.

Kiara was wondering if this was really happening or not. "I... I'm looking for my true love... But he's an Outsider... Daddy wouldn't approve of him."

"Your father has been blinded by what your Great Uncle Scar did and doesn't see that the Pridelanders and the Outsiders are the same." Sarabi said.

"What do you think?" Kiara pouted.

"I say follow your heart..." Sarabi replied. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Kiara looked curious then.

"I was an Outsider myself." Sarabi admitted surprisingly enough.

"What? Really?" Kiara asked.

"Yes, my sisters Naanda, Dwala, and I were..." Sarabi revealed.

"How come you never told anyone?" Kiara asked.

"I was afraid..." Sarabi replied. "Your grandfather Mufasa found out though... You see, our father fell in love with a Pridelander lioness and then my sister Diku was born. The Queen at the time, your great-grandmother Uru, felt sorry for us since we were starving and thirsty, so since she was very generous, she let us in."

"That was nice of her." Kiara smiled.

"Believe and trust me when I say love will find a way..." Sarabi replied. "For you and Kovu... For your brother Kopa and Lukio..."

"Kopa likes Lukio?" Kiara then asked about the Jungle Emperor's daughter.

"You didn't know?" Sarabi chuckled. "He's very much in love with her, it reminds me of when I first met your grandfather."

"That's so romantic." Kiara smiled.

Sarabi smiled back. Kiara then looked up as someone came in front of her and she saw that it had been Kovu. Kopa and Lukio smiled in distance as Kiara and Kovu had been reunited. Some butterflies soon flew by them.

* * *

Kovu brightened up by the sight of them and even laughed. Kiara then rushed with him to go after the butterflies. The two soon playfully wrestled each other. Kopa and Lukio enjoyed this sight until they decided to playfully wrestle each other as well. This made them laugh instantly as they joined Kovu and Kiara.

"Hey, look..." Kovu looked at their reflection. "We are one."

Kiara smiled back until she realized what Kovu said and looked shocked. "What?"

"Let's get outta here," Kovu suggested. "We'll run away together! And start a pride all our own~"

"Kovu, you know that all of us have to go back, right?" Kopa asked.

"You're kidding," Kovu replied. "We're finally together! You're not gonna tell your dad, are you?"

"Kopa's right," Kiara agreed with her older brother. "Our place is with our pride. If we run away, they'll be divided forever."

"We have to go back before it's too late." Lukio said.

Kovu considered it, but didn't seem entirely convinced.

* * *

The Outlanders were crossing a river for their way to Pride Rock. At Pride Rock; Timon, Pumbaa, and the others were panicking.

"I can't believe we lost them again!" Timon panicked the most. "This is the 8,000th time!"

"What do we do?!" Estelle panicked.

"Yeah, aren't you guys supposed to watch them?" Akito asked.

"Yeah, Pumbaa, I thought you were gonna watch her." Timon glared to the warthog.

"Me? You were gonna watch her!" Pumbaa glared back.

"Are they really going to argue?" Emi asked.

"Do you even have to ask?" Akito groaned as he bowed his head.

Timon and Pumbaa then had an argument before they physically fought.

"What are you doing?" Simba came over.

This caused them all to smile nervously.

"Good question!" Timon smiled nervously. "Now, let's ask one."

"Hippo-thetically..." Pumbaa started.

"Very hypothetical..." Timon corrected.

"Yeah." Lee smiled nervously.

"There's this guy..." Jenny started.

"But he's not a lion." Pumbaa said.

"No! No, he's not a lion... Yeesh..." Timon replied.

Simba glanced in slight amusement.

"Definitely not a lion..." Timon continued nervously. "And... Uh... Uh... His daughter... Um... Say... Vanished with his older son..."

"Along with the daughter of an emperor..." Lee added nervously.

Kiara, Kopa, and Lukio are gone?" Simba replied.

"Sire!" Zazu flew over toward Simba. "The Outsiders are on the attack... Heading this way! It's war!"

"Oh, come on!" Vincent groaned.

"Zazu! Find Kiara, Kopa, and the Jungle Emperor's daughter! We'll assemble the lionesses. Move! Now!" Simba commanded.

The others looked nervous as this looked very bad.

"I sure hope they're alright." Emi said.

"I'm sure they're fine, Emi..." Akito soothed.

"I sure hope you're right." Emi said.

"I'm right here..." Akito comforted.

Emi and Akito then grabbed each other's hands and gently squeezed them to give each other comfort and support through this painful struggle. Zira and her pride were indeed on their way to Pride Rock. Kion assembled his Lion Guard in order to help his parents and the lionesses fight against Zira and her pride. Leo and his mate and son came to join the fight.


	19. Chapter 19

"We're going to help too, King Simba." Ono said maturely as he perched onto Behste's back.

"I'm sorry for doubting you all when Kion chose you all as his Lion Guard." Simba approved of his younger son's best friends helping out.

"It's alright, Your Majesty." Ono said.

"No harm done." Behste agreed.

Buzzards circled above as Kiara, Kovu, Kopa, and Lukio were coming back to Pride Rock. Timon, Pumbaa, and Bunga mooned the Outsiders as they were in the line together with the other Pridelanders.

"Real mature, guys." Lune said, unimpressed.

"It's over, Simba," Zira spoke up. "I've dreamed of nothing else for years!"

"Boy, does she need a hobby." Timon rolled his eyes.

"Last chance, Zira, go home." Simba said firmly to the rogue lioness.

"I am home!" Zira replied as the thunder cracked and the lightning flashed. "Attack!" she then commanded her pride.

Her pride responded with their battle cries as they roared moving forward.

"Go for the eyes!" the lioness coached her pride. "Break his jaw! Hit him low! Get them! Do what you must!"

"Try and beat us!" Teddy glared.

Tyraniter jumped high and stomped in the middle of the ground before roaring violently to the Outsider lionesses. Ninetails growled at the Outsider lionesses. One lioness roared right in his face. Ninetails smacked her with his tails and then preformed a Flash Fire.

"Go team!" Zaboomafoo smiled.

Kion gave commands to his friends as they were the Lion Guard for this generation. Fuli used her speed, Ono pointed out his sight to the others, Behste used his strength, and Bunga used all of his bravery to take on some of the lionesses. Akito and the others fought off as many Outsider lionesses as they could. Lee and his Arcanine were even doing what they could and they were both doing well for their first times as Pokemon and trainer.

* * *

Timon and Pumbaa were even going to join in.

"What do we do?" Pumbaa panicked. "What do we do?!"

"There's only one thing we can do, Pumbaa: 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'," Timon replied. "That's our motto."

"But I thought our motto was Hakuna Matata?" Pumbaa said, confused.

"Pumbaa, stop living in the past, we need a new motto!" Timon replied.

The meerkat and warthog let out a battle cry as they charged for the lionesses, but soon stopped and turned the other way in fear.

"Aw, come on, Uncle Timon and Uncle Pumbaa!" Bunga called out to them. "It's just a bunch of lameo lionesses!"

"They don't exactly have enough courage to face predators." Vincent said.

"Ugh..." Bunga face-palmed his adoptive uncles.

"Where's your pretty daughter, Nala?!" Vitani growled.

"Vitani!" Nala growled back.

Vitani leapt down onto Nala and the two began to roll around the hill and fought fiercely. Timon and Pumbaa then used their secret weapon which made the lionesses run away in fear.

"Talk about your winds of war." Timon smiled proudly.

"We're winning." Mo said.

"Was there every any doubt?" Atticus smiled.

Felicity was even helping as she showed a rare side of violence as she was with Simon and they beat as many lionesses as they could.

* * *

Zira made her way to Simba. "Simba..." the dark lioness jumped down in front of the lion king. "You're mine!"

Two back-up lionesses then fought with Zira to weaken Simba and bring him down.

"Simba needs back-up." Atticus said.

Cherry stood by Atticus. "I may not be as strong as a god or more like you, but as a vampire, I have... Unholy strength."

"Then let's go give Simba his back-up." Atticus said.

Cherry nodded. Cherry and Atticus then moved together to help Simba against Zira.

"Does anyone else get the feeling that this is wrong?" Estelle asked.

"Kinda..." Akito bit his lip.

"Should we help?" Tyranitar asked their humans.

"We are helping." Ninetails said.

"No, I mean this is wrong; we shouldn't be fighting the Outsiders, they are lions just like the Pridelanders." Estelle said.

"But Simba says they're bad." Teddy reminded.

"Still, that doesn't mean we have to fight them; we can always live in peace with them." Estelle said.

The Pokemon looked to them and realized they were right in a way.

"Simba already accepted the Jungle Emperor, I think we should convince him to make peace with the Outlanders." Estelle told the others.

"Yeah, but how?" Vincent asked.

"I know it'll take work, but we have to think of plans together," Estelle said. "Any ideas?"

"We could try to get in the middle of the war." Jenny said.

"Oh, Jenny, I couldn't let you get hurt like that..." Vincent's eyes widened. "You're so delicate."

"I'm stronger than I look," Jenny replied as she took his hand. "Come on, Vincent, we need all our strength and bravery so there can be peace in the jungle."

"She's right." Emi said.

"Jenny, I don't think we've seen this side of you." Estelle commented about the redheaded girl.

"I think it's time I learn to take my stand as I join in adventures with you all," Jenny assertively replied. "Besides, we're getting at that time when your parents and aunt were trained in high school."

"She's right," Vincent agreed. "Too bad you can't go to school with us though..."

"What if I worked something out where I can be with you guys more?" Jenny smirked. "The same with Eloise and Leon."

"I'd say that you were a genius." Vincent said.

"What can I say?" Jenny smiled. "Tech really brought out the brainy side of me back in Acmetropolis."

"He truly did." Vincent said.

"Come on, guys, teamwork, it's the only way to convince Simba." Jenny told the others as she put her hand out.

"Agreed." Vincent nodded.

Jenny held her hand out.

"Oh!" Vincent then put his hand on her hand and gestured for the others to join in.

They all soon joined hands together.

"Let's do this!" Jenny then chimed.

"Yeah!" the others agreed as the battle of Pride Rock continued and the Pokemon had to agree with their trainers.

* * *

Kiara, Kovu, Kopa, and Lukio were then coming into view of the Pridelands. And what they saw wasn't a pretty sight and where they saw the Pokémon and their trainers were making their way to the middle of the war between the two prides.

"Oh, Lukio!" Leo rushed to his daughter. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, Dad, I'm fine, it's okay." Lukio nuzzled against her father.

"What are Akito and the others doing?" Lune asked.

"I'm not sure, I hope it can stop this madness..." Lukio looked back to the humans and their Pokemon.

"They're going to the center of the war." Lyra said.

"I believe in them..." Lukio told her parents. "I know they can help animalkind as we know it."

* * *

"Simba, please stop this!" Estelle said as she and the others came by Kiara and Kovu's sides.

"She's right, Dad, this has to stop." Kopa agreed.

"You're even weaker than I thought," Zira sneered to Kovu. "Get out of the way!"

"You'll never hurt her and the others... Especially Simba and Kopa... Not while I'm here." Kovu glared back.

"Stay out of this." Simba told his son and daughter and their friends besides Kovu.

"A wise king once told me 'We are one'," Kiara replied. "I didn't understand what he meant... Now I do."

"But... They..." Simba stuttered.

"Them... Us... They are us," Kiara replied. "What differences do you see?"

"Aren't we all apart of the Circle of Life?" Kopa added in.

Simba paused and looked around as the battle stopped right there and then. The clouds started to part, shining the suns light down on all of them. Finally, Simba then nuzzled with Kiara and Kopa.

"Vitani... Now!" Zira commanded her daughter.

"No, Mother!" Vitani replied firmly. "Kiara and Kopa are right..." she then went over to the Pridelands side. "Enough."

"Should we get Princess Tutu involved in getting the rest of the Outsiders on the Pridelands side?" Lee whispered to Estelle.

"I think we're good for now, but I'll keep Princess Tutu on standby." Estelle whispered back.

Lee nodded as they then stood with Arcanine.

"If you will not fight... Then you will die as well!" Zira glared to Vitani's betrayal.

Some of the other lionesses were on their way over to Simba's side which made Zira angry.

"Give up, Zira; it's time to put the past behind us." Kopa said.

"Let it go." Simba added with a firm nod, agreeing with his eldest cub.

Zira saw she was now alone, but she didn't let that stop her. "I'll never let it go! This is for you, Scar!" she then lunged out for Simba.

Kopa lunged out and where he and Zira both tumbled down where the ravine use to be.

"Kopa!" Simba and Lukio cried out.

Simba decided to go down the ravine incase his eldest son needed help.

"Hold on, Kopa!" Nala cried out as she came by Simba's side.

Kopa growled as he wrestled with Zira across and were nearly tumbling down to the ravine as more logs fell into the water from the dam.

"Simba! The river!" Atticus called down.

* * *

The river is rapidly rushing to fill the canyon. Simba leaped from rock face to rock face, trying to reach Kopa. Below, Zira hung precariously from the rock face with Kopa on the higher level above the dark lioness.

Kopa did want Zira to die for every evil thing she's done, but he couldn't just let her die so he decided to try and help her up. "Zira, give me your paw!" he then held out his paw to the lioness despite everything she's done, especially attempt to kill him when he was a young cub before the Central Park Zoo fiasco before Kiara and Kion were born. "Zira... Come on, I'll help you!"

Zira was only inches away from the rushing river, but she would rather die than be saved by a Pridelander. Kopa did agree that Zira deserved punishment, but he had standards of letting someone die.

"No... Never!" Zira seemed to grin darkly to Kopa as she purposely let herself go to fall into the water and kill herself.

Kopa frowned as he felt like he failed. Kovu watched his mother fall and he slowly shut his eyes with a sigh. Simba walked over.

"Dad... I-I tried..." Kopa looked to his father in despair.

"I know." Simba said as he held out his paw to his oldest son.

Kopa sadly looked up as he couldn't save Zira. He sadly accepted his father's helping paw.

"Oh, Kopa..." Nala nuzzled against her eldest cub.

"Whew." Akito sighed out of relief.

The others admired what Kopa did, even though he felt bad about Zira not wanting to reform and become a Pridelander.

"Oh, Kopa... That was so brave..." Lukio came to Kopa and nuzzled against him.

"Aw! Love." Aviva smiled.

Kopa and Lukio blushed slightly.

"Kovu, I was wrong," Simba said to the cub his daughter was in love with. "You belong here."

 _'He's finally no longer letting his hatred towards Scar blind him anymore.'_ Atticus thought to himself.

"Let's go home... All of us." Simba proclaimed.

Things were wrapping up nicely as they were coming back to Pride Rock.


	20. Chapter 20

"Oh, Ryan, I wish you could've seen this..." Kopa said as he looked up to the skies. "You too, Samson... Especially the others back at the zoo... I really hope you all are happy where you are... But none of this would be possible if it wasn't for Grandpa Mufasa and Grandma Sarabi."

"I'm sure that they are happy." Mo said.

Kopa looked over. "Oh, hi, Aunt Mo."

"Aunt Mo, I love the sound of that..." Mo chuckled. "You okay, kid?"

"Yeah, I just wish Ryan and the others could be here." Kopa said.

"Ya really miss 'em, huh?" Mo asked.

"I was very homesick, but I guess I'm a little zoosick too..." Kopa shrugged. "Ryan was really my best friend."

"And I bet they are missing you too." Atticus said.

"I wish I knew how they were..." Kopa sighed. "It sure has been a while since that adventure."

"Is it just me or do I see a group of animals that look just like them?" Estelle asked.

"What...?" Kopa stood up.

"Weren't they a koala bear, a snake, a giraffe, and a squirrel?" Atticus tried to remember as that adventure was mostly for the kids and their Pokemon while they stayed at the Plaza Hotel until they would come back.

"Yeah, along with Samson and Ryan who were a lion and a lion cub." Vincent said.

Kopa ran in the distance and came to see it was the group he knew back in the Central Park Zoo. "Is it really you guys...?"

"In the fur, little buddy." Nigel chuckled.

"Oh, look at how much you've grown," Bridget smiled. "You look fit to be the next Lion King of the Pridelands."

Kopa smiled bashfully before looking curious. "How'd you guys get here... Why are you guys here?"

"Well, we missed you so much that our life in the zoo was no longer worth staying there." Larry said.

"Really?" Kopa asked.

"I didn't live there anyway..." Benny shrugged. "But it's great to see ya again, kid."

"Plus now, Dad can become Samson of the Wild like he's always wanted." Ryan chuckled.

Kopa smiled and hugged them all, feeling very glad to see them all after so long.

"This has got to be the best day ever." Vincent smiled.

The others smiled to that in agreement.

"So, you got a girlfriend?" Ryan smirked teasingly to Kopa.

"Yeah, her name's Lukio and she's the daughter of the Jungle Emperor," Kopa replied shamelessly. "What about you?"

"No such luck." Ryan said.

"Oh..." Kopa frowned.

"I keep tellin' ya, kid," Benny said to Ryan. "There's someone out there for everybody, ya just gotta look for her!"

"Oh, come on, Benny; it's not like I'll just bump right into her." Ryan said.

"Ya never know," Benny shrugged before climbing up on the female giraffe's neck. "That's how I met Bridget."

"It's true." Bridget smiled.

Ryan hid an eye roll for them.

"It was for me and your mother..." Samson told his son about true love.

"Oh, yeah, right, as if I'm gonna waltz over and run right into-" Ryan rolled his eyes as he walked along before bumping into someone.

The one he bumped into was Vitani.

"Hey, watch it!" the dark lioness glared.

"Vitani, what did we talk about?" Kopa scolded.

"Oh... Sorry, Kopa, old habits are hard to break..." Vitani apologized.

"It's okay, I wasn't looking where I was going." Ryan said.

"No, no, it's my fault..." Vitani said.

Ryan stood up then and found himself staring into her deep blue eyes. And where Vitani found herself staring into his eyes.

"So, who's this?" Samson asked.

"This is Vitani." Kopa introduced.

"Well, I think Ryan might have just fallen in love with her." Samson said.

Ryan then blinked and blushed while Vitani smirked to him.

"Ya like to fight?" Vitani asked with a growl.

"Um... Well... I..." Ryan backed up nervously.

Vitani then lunged out for him and the two ended up rolling and she ended up on top. "Pinned ya."

"Get off." Ryan said and where Vitani did just that and where he smirked as he was going to lunge at her.

Vitani walked off until she was then lunged at from Ryan, but she ended up on top again with a smirk. "Pinned ya again."

"Just like Simba and Nala." Mo smiled.

"Yep." Atticus agreed.

Mufasa and Sarabi smiled from Heaven above as they approved of Simba's actions now that everybody in the Pridelands were now happy.

"So, who are your new friends?" Nigel asked as he saw the evolved Pokemon.

"Believe it or not, but these are the Pokemon you guys met before, but they're grown up now," Kopa replied before introducing. "Larvitar is now Tyranitar, Teddy is now an Ursaring, Vulpix is a Nintetails, and Misdreavus is now a Mismagius."

"Wow." Bridget smiled.

"They went through something called 'Evolution' which is how Pokemon grow up." Kopa explained.

"Well, I'll be." Samson looked impressed.

"Uh, you're not gonna hurt me, right?" Nigel nervously asked Teddy since he was now a full grown Ursaring and no longer a tiny baby Teddiursa.

"No, I'm not." Teddy said.

"That's a relief." Nigel smiled to him.

Teddy smiled back. "Just don't hurt my mama..." he then said in a warning tone of voice about Estelle's safety.

"Yes, sir." Nigel said.

Teddy smiled. "Sir, I like that..."

"Don't get carried away now." Ninetails teased.

"Oh, fine." Teddy pouted.

The others chuckled slightly.

* * *

Later on, the lions roared as peace returned to the Pridelands.

Kion stood with Fuli, Kopa stood with Lukio, Ryan stood with Vitani, and Kiara stood with Kovu.

"A happy ending." Lee smiled.

"Mm-hmm~" Estelle agreed as she stood by him.

 ** _'Well done, my son...'_ ** Mufasa's voice seemed to call from the heavens.

 ** _'We are one...'_** Sarabi's voice added.

"Who said that?" Nigel asked.

"Who said what?" Benny asked.

"You can't tell me you didn't just hear those two voices..." Nigel replied.

"I think Nigel needs to lie down now." Larry laughed goofily.

"Actually, I did hear two voices." Samson said.

"Maybe you should lie down too, Samson." Larry then said.

"Was it Grandpa?" Ryan wondered.

"No, I don't recognize these two voices..." Samson replied. "But they sounded very important."

"Those must have been Mufasa and Sarabi." Mo said.

"You think so?" Kiara asked.

"I'm sure of it." Mo said.

This made them all smile as the Circle of Life had been completed and official, even though Zira made herself perish. At least this way, she would be with Scar.

* * *

"So, what now?" Jimmy Z asked.

"I think it's time we head home." Chris suggested as he held Zaboomafu in his arms.

"I can't over you still being alive..." Cherry cooed to the lemur as she gently pet him despite not being too crazy about the Kratt brothers.

"I can't wait to try out these new creature powers." Martin smiled.

"We'll definitely put these into use on our later missions." Avivo agreed.

The kids were sad to see the Wild Kratts go, but they had to let them go.

"So, Lee, did you like Africa?" Estelle smiled as she hugged her knees. "I hear you liked gorillas next to lions."

"Yeah, you know any?" Lee asked as he sat across from her.

"Well, Dad and Aunt Cherry once knew a gorilla family who raised Tarzan: The Ape Man." Estelle replied.

"Wahoo!" Lee smiled as he brought out a Pokeball and where he soon caught Arcanine.

Estelle giggled to his excitement. Arcanine came up to Lee with a smile.

"This won't hurt them, right?" Lee asked before using his Pokeball.

"No, no, it's totally harmless." Estelle reassured.

Lee then smiled and put Arcanine in his Pokeball as he was now a proud owner of his very own Pokemon. The Pokeball wiggled a bit until Lee heard a ping sound.

"You have captured your Pokemon." Estelle announced.

"Awesome." Lee was excited to have his very Pokemon like his girlfriend and her cousins.

"Maybe this way, you can meet Ash, Serena, and all my other Pokemon adventure friends." Estelle invited.

"Yeah." Lee smiled.

Estelle smiled back.

Akito walked by innocently. "Just walking by, little lovers~"

"I'm only five minutes younger than you!" Estelle pouted.

"Five minutes littler." Akito smirked playfully.

"I'll leave you two alone to your sibling argument." Lee smirked.

Akito and Estelle then started to argue like Timon and Pumbaa about bugs as Lee then walked away.

"What happened to those two?" Mo sighed to her twins. "They used to be best friends."

"They're growing up." Atticus replied.

"And besides, they are still friends." Vincent said.

"Hmm..." Atticus and Mo hummed about that.

Akito and Estelle then laughed together after pulling on each other's hair.

* * *

Later on, everyone was then packing up to leave the Pridelands, the Wild Kratts crew had already gone ahead and left with their Tortuga.

"How do we get back home?" Lee asked.

"Leave that to us, Lee, we know what to do." Mo smiled.

"Yep." Atticus agreed.

"Your parents are cooler than mine." Lee pouted to Estelle, Akito, and Vincent.

"I'm sure they have something cool." Akito said.

Lee only rolled his eyes about his parents.

"Thanks for letting Lee come too, Daddy." Estlelle hugged Atticus.

"Yeah, Daddy..." Cherry teased.

"It was no trouble at all." Atticus said.

Estelle smiled up to him. "You're the best dad ever."

Atticus soon used his magic to teleport them all back home. Cherry, Forte, Felicity, Simon, and Mismagius then took their leave to go to their own home.

Estelle hugged Lee. "Take good care of your Arcanine now."

"I will, thanks for everything." Lee smiled as he then left the Fudo house with his Pokeball to go back home to let his family know that he was back from his trip.

The End


End file.
